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Carte Blanche: Wildlife Heroes Saving Rare Albino Baby Elephant Hurt by Poachers

With everything stacked against him, there’s a little elephant in South Africa who’s survival is putting smiles in all our hearts and making news around the world. This Sunday Carte Blanche meets the wildlife heroes in South Africa who are saving a rare albino baby elephant who was severely injured by a poaching snare. You […]

By SAPeople Contributor
23-02-20 12:11
in Fab South African Stuff

With everything stacked against him, there’s a little elephant in South Africa who’s survival is putting smiles in all our hearts and making news around the world. This Sunday Carte Blanche meets the wildlife heroes in South Africa who are saving a rare albino baby elephant who was severely injured by a poaching snare.

You can watch the investigative show today, Sunday 23 Feb, in South Africa on DStv Now or stream it overseas in most countries from Tues 25 Feb if you’re abroad.

< WILDLIFE HEROES> 

Khanyisa – The Albino Elephant

Trapped in a poacher’s snare for several days without food or water and seriously injured, Khanyisa – the rare albino elephant calf didn’t stand a chance.

At less than six months old, her herd eventually abandoned her, leaving her to battle the elements alone.

meeting rare white albino elephant south africa
Meeting the rare white albino elephant in South Africa that’s made worldwide news after she was caught in a poacher’s snare and abandoned.

But now with a little help from some friends (initially at Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary with Petronella and her team) and now at HERD (Hoedspruit Elephant Rehabilitation and Development – Adine Roode and her team), she’s on the road to recovery. The caring humans have nursed her physically and emotionally – treating her injuries, caring for her overnight and playing with her during the day.

Watch the show overseas | Watch in SA on DStv Now

Carte Blanche presenter Derek Watts says: “When you look at the challenges facing the world and this country, one elephant may not seem to be all that much. But this little albino elephant called Khanyisa is a story of true survival and fighting against the odds, showing that cruelty doesn’t always win.”

HERD says Khanyisa is a miracle and that “this little girl is so unbelievably brave. The odds of her survival have been stacked against her from birth; she was born as an albino, she then endured excruciating pain trapped in the jaws of a manmade snare, and left to fight for her fragile life for an unknown amount of days.

adine with rare white albino elephant
Adine Roode with the rare white albino elephant calf.

“We can only try to comprehend the amount of pain she felt, how scared she felt, was her herd with her when it happened, was she alone? And how hot and thirsty she must have been. How could she possibly survive? It is clear to us now; it is her spirit; she is a fighter. Her spirit is strong.”

owen caring for elephants jabulani
Owen, one of HERD’s caring humans who’s become a friend to the elephants.

Derek joined Adine on the reserve, meeting Khanyisa’s future family – the Jabulani Safari herd… and finding out more about Khanyisa’s incredible story of survival and what HERD is all about.

herd-elephants-baby-albino
Derek Watts meets the Jabulani tribe. Photo: HERD

Khanyisa has already met one of the elephant bulls from the Jabulani herd, Jabulani himself. HERD said Jabulani “cast a protective shadow over Khanyisa, that said more than any words ever could. Khanyisa stood so still in his presence, as if in awe. They looked upon each other in silence to our ears, yet no doubt sharing so much more between them as kindred elephant spirits.” (They have to use an umbrella to protect little Khanyisa’s albino skin from the sun.)

Watch Carte Blanche tonight for more (or from Tuesday if you’re overseas).

(Producer: Sinethemba Nogude | Presenter: Derek Watts)

Watch the show overseas | Watch in SA on DStv Now

https://twitter.com/carteblanchetv/status/1230392923235155970

Also on Carte Blanche this Sunday (and from Tuesday if you’re abroad, in most countries)

< INVESTIGATIVE >

The Construction Mafia

They’re known as the Construction Mafia – community groups who demand a cut in building projects around the country, sometimes even resorting to violence and intimidation to get their way. From some form of employment, sub-contracting to their small businesses or in some cases straight up cash – they say they’ll continue to hold construction sites to ransom until they receive their share. Carte Blanche investigates. (Producer: Nicky Troll | Presenter: Macfarlane Moleli) 

Watch the show overseas | Watch in SA on DStv Now

< MONEY MATTERS >

Upcoming Budget: Difficult Decisions

Amid another looming downgrade, with spiralling debt, weak growth and a slow pace of reform, last year’s medium-term budget gave a clear roadmap of what the government needed to do. Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said reversing the trends required urgent action, but can he make the difficult decisions needed to save the economy? (Producer: Joy Summers | Presenter: Derek Watts)

 Watch the show overseas | Watch in SA on DStv Now

 The Absolute Right to Inherit

Private wills are untouchable – as long as you are not financially responsible for minor children, you can pass on your assets or disinherit whomever you choose. But what if discrimination on grounds of being female, or adopted, excludes children in a family from what they believe should be theirs? In a legal first, the Constitutional Court is considering whether all children in a family have an equal right to inherit in a constitutional dispensation that promotes equality. (Producer: Annalise Lubbe | Presenter: Claire Mawisa)

 Watch the show overseas | Watch in SA on DStv Now

If you’re in SA – you can watch Carte Blanche on DStv Now.

If you’re overseas – you can watch #CarteBlanche from Tuesdays, and thousands of other popular local South African shows & movies by subscribing to Showmax International now. You can try it FREE for 14 days. 

Carte Blanche is on M-Net & M-Net HD [101], February 23, 2020 at 19:00 & again on M-Net Plus 1 [901] at 20:00

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Please note: Carte Blanche is only available to international Showmax subscribers in Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom. Not all titles are available in all territories. Showmax brings you the best South African series and movies, from the classics to the latest releases, from complete box sets to kids’ favourites.