Adorable video shows baby rhino playing best friend - a dog!

White rhinos are one of the many vulnerable and rare animals cared for at HESC. Image: Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre / As originally published by the Daily Express

Hannah Hastings, Daily Express | August 6, 2021

Esme who lives at Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC) in South Africa, was only a month old when she was taken to sanctuary when her mother was unable to produce milk. hile at HESC, the young mammal had no other rhinos that wanted to befriend her until it was decided to introduce David, a Anatolian Shepherd dog.

David the dog and Esme the rhino are the best of friends and in one video David can be see kissing his pal.

Juandrey Simons, animal curator at HESC recalls how David and Esme’s unique friendship began, saying: “From the first time that they met one another, they were loving towards one another. It was a match made in heaven.

“She was feeling down David would go and lick her, they were always together and inseperable, they basically just grew up together.”

As their bond gew, the pair were filmed and photographed by the team dedicated to helping vunerable species across Africa.

Video clips show David affectionaley nibbling on the tip of Esme’s horn and the duo chasing each other around a field.

Both rhino and pooch played together for a year until Esme had grown too big to safely play with David anymore, with an incident where she accidently stepped on his paw.

Alone again the white rhino became despressed with her two-year-old best friend, until the conservation brought in a lamb named Millie, who is now her new playmate.

Juandrey added: “When you are with these animals 24.7 you give them love and attention, its rewarding as it pays off. She will go back into the wild and live a happy life there.”

Watch the video here.

Read the original story here.