Some conservation stories stay with you for years. They begin with loss, develop through extraordinary care and, sometimes, lead to the freedom every wild animal deserves.

Gertjie’s story is one of those.

Long before he became a grown rhino bull roaming the reserve, Gertjie was known to people around the world as Little G. His story began in May 2014, when he was found just three months old beside his mother’s body after she was killed by poachers.

He was brought to the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC), where he began his recovery under the care of a dedicated rehabilitation team. Among the people who helped shape his early journey was Adine Roode, whose connection with rhino orphans preceded her work with elephant rehabilitation at HERD.

For Adine, Gertjie became more than a young rhino in need of care. He became an individual she knew, trusted and loved.

She remembers him lying with his head on her lap, dancing his little dance and trusting completely. Through Africam, people across the world also came to know him. Many affectionately called him Little G because his name was difficult to pronounce.

His story would soon become intertwined with another orphaned rhino.

A Brotherhood Born from Loss

In November 2014, another young white rhino, Matimba, arrived at HESC. He was approximately one month old and had suffered a similar tragedy. His mother had been killed during a poaching attack while the two were reportedly enjoying a mud bath together.

Gertjie and Matimba were introduced in December that year.

Gertjie and Matimba on the Africam Livestream (2015)

A friendship developed between the two young rhinos, who became constant companions. Alongside them was Lammie, their trusted companion who would later become familiar to many through her role at HERD’s elephant orphanage.

Their early lives had begun with devastating loss. Yet, through rehabilitation, companionship and dedicated care, their story continued to change.

Five years after their rescue, Gertjie and Matimba reached an important milestone.

In July 2019, the two rhino bulls were successfully released into the wild after undergoing various stages of rehabilitation and reintegration. An anti-poaching unit provided protection as they began their lives beyond the rehabilitation environment.

They were healthy, confident and strong, with the opportunity to sustain themselves and live as nature intended.

For conservation, this represents something significant. When rehabilitated rhinos return to the wild, they have the opportunity to contribute to the future of their species through natural reproduction. Freedom is not simply the destination of rehabilitation. It is part of creating a future for wildlife.

From Little G to a Grown Bull

Today, Gertjie is no longer the small rhino that captured the hearts of Africam viewers.

He is a grown bull, moving through the landscape and living a life that would have seemed far away when he first arrived at HESC.

Adine still remembers the young rhino who rested his head on her lap. When their paths cross today, she says he still comes to greet her, before they go their separate ways.

“Not everyone who sees him today knows his story or his sadness. But to everyone who followed and loved him: he is still that Little G at heart, just in a much bigger body.”

Adine Roode

For the guests of Jabulani Safari, seeing Gertjie today offers a glimpse into a much longer conservation story. It is an opportunity to appreciate the animal before them while recognising the people and work that helped make his future possible.

His story also forms part of Adine’s broader conservation journey. Before founding HERD and dedicating herself to elephant orphan rehabilitation, she spent years working with rhino orphans at HESC. Gertjie’s journey reflects that history of care and the long-term commitment required to support animals affected by poaching.

At Jabulani, conservation is closely connected to the landscape we share with wildlife. The stories of individual animals remind us that protection extends beyond a single encounter. It involves creating the conditions for animals to recover, grow and, where possible, return to life in the wild.

And for those who knew him as Little G, there is something especially meaningful about seeing the rhino he has become.

Adine expresses it simply:

“Love you, Gertjie, and thank you for letting our guests see you now as the beautiful bull you’ve become.”

This World Rhino Day, we reflect on Gertjie’s journey, the people who helped him survive and the continued importance of protecting rhinos in the wild.

From a vulnerable calf to a free-roaming bull, his story reminds us what conservation can make possible.

Happy World Rhino Day from all of us at Jabulani Safari.