Gertjie the Rescued Baby Rhino Loves Playing With His Lamb Best Friend (VIDEO)

Gertjie the baby rhino did not have an easy start to life. He was found huddled next to his mother’s body after she had been killed at the hands of poachers at a wildlife preserve in South Africa. Gertjie was distraught and wouldn’t stop crying. Thankfully, the kind rangers who found him took Gertjie to the  Hoedspruit Endangered Species Center where caretakers could ensure he grows up safely. As a young baby, Gertjie did not like sleeping alone, so his loving caretakers took turns spending the night with the nervous, little guy.

Gertjie’s life has gotten much better since his arrival at the center. He has even made a new friend! Lammie (the aptly named lamb) loves playing with Gertjie. On their walks, the two skip and jump around, showing off their adorable, interspecies friendship. You can see Gertjie trying to copy his friend’s hops and skips the best he can.

Gertjie is growing stronger every day. He drinks a whopping twelve gallons of milk a day and gets plenty of love from his caretakers and animal friends. He will stay at the center until he is old enough to be released back into the wild to join the other White Rhinos. Goodluck, Gertjie!