Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre

Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre HESC focuses on the conservation of rare, vulnerable or endangered animals. https://hesc.co.za

25/03/2025

Can you help us with a milk feed for Angie and Eve? 🩷🦏 The GlobalGiving LittlexLittle campaign is officially live! From today until Friday, each donation made up to $50 can be matched with an extra 50%. This means many more much-needed milk feeds! 🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼

DONATE A MILK FEED HERE: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-baby-rhinos

We are pleased to report that after some connectivity issues, our Africam live cameras are once again operational. We kn...
24/03/2025

We are pleased to report that after some connectivity issues, our Africam live cameras are once again operational. We know many of our followers have commented that they were unable to get their daily rhino fix. 🦏🩶 SEE LIVE FOOTAGE HERE:

The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre is proud to partner with Africam to bring you live footage from inside our rhino boma.

23/03/2025

HESC guide Dan to the rescue! Another snake was found on the premises and released into a safe area. This time it was a Marbled Tree Snake. While mildly venomous, it isn’t a threat to humans, and feeds off lizards and frogs. It is a nocturnal snake and likes to hide in hollow trees. It can reach 50 – 60 cm in length.

22/03/2025

The wild dogs are enjoying their sleep - so much so that not even a human voice, or the presence of another wild dog on the other side of the fence, can get them to wake up. Clearly they know they are safe here.

21/03/2025

Angie and Eve were scratching away on a branch to relieve their itchy skin. A rhino’s skin is up to 5 cm (2 inches) thick, but still sensitive and prone to scratches and even sunburn. Mud baths help to protect their skin from sunburn and insect bites. 🦏💜🦏

Doesn’t our Friday Deli Special look amazing? Get 500g spare ribs and 250g chips for just R170! A Wild Dog Feast! 🐾 If y...
21/03/2025

Doesn’t our Friday Deli Special look amazing? Get 500g spare ribs and 250g chips for just R170! A Wild Dog Feast! 🐾 If you are visiting us today, be sure to order yours!

SAVE THE DATES: Tuesday 25 March – Friday 28 March 2025.It’s GlobalGiving LittlexLittle time again – and each donation u...
20/03/2025

SAVE THE DATES: Tuesday 25 March – Friday 28 March 2025.

It’s GlobalGiving LittlexLittle time again – and each donation up to $50 can be matched with an extra 50% of the amount donated!

Please support us next week to raise funds for milk feeds for our baby girls Angie and Eve.

Facilitated by Wildlife Conservation Trust

19/03/2025

King cheetah Pina showing affection to sister Tilda. 🥰 Sound up for purrs.🥰 In the wild, cheetah cubs separate from their mothers at around 18 months of age, but remain together with their siblings for another 6 months. Once they reach sexual maturity at around 24 months, the females will leave the group to lead a solitary life. Males remain together in coalitions.

18/03/2025

Did you know that both Angie and Eve’s milk formula is carefully mixed in accordance to their tolerances, and to ensure that they receive sufficient nutrition. While mom’s milk will always be best, we have to do what we can for their healthy growth in the absence of this option.

17/03/2025

Paulie had himself a tasty yoghurt breakfast today. In case you were wondering … it’s pineapple and kiwi flavour.

16/03/2025

Look what we found! An adorable baby terrapin, which was nearly accidentally stepped on by Angie while she was drinking her milk. Thanks to the sharp eyes of our guides, the little one could be saved and returned to one of the natural dams on the property.

15/03/2025

One of our sable calves can be seen here suckling from mom. Mother’s milk provides the little one with all the nutrients needed until the calf reaches 8 months of age, when it will be weaned.

14/03/2025

We’re deviating slightly to plants today to show you an amazing tree commonly known as a Candelabra tree or Naboom. Its milky latex can be extremely poisonous when ingested, and when the latex comes into contact with skin, it can cause severe irritation, blisters and burns.

13/03/2025

Yesterday we discovered a Mozambique Spitting Cobra stuck to some package stickers in one of our buildings. Thankfully Dan saw it and took it through to the Hoedspruit Reptile Centre for assessment before it was released back into nature.

The Mozambique Spitting Cobra is a venomous snake and feeds on a diet of small mammals, reptiles – and even other snakes.

12/03/2025

Curator Linri filmed this close-up. She says she is crazy about a rhino’s eyes, especially the colouring – pitch black with a thin blue line around the outside of the pupil. While rhinos do not have good eyesight, their eyes are indeed beautiful. And, if it is true that the eyes are the windows to the soul, these animals come across as gentle giants.

11/03/2025

In this video, you can see a Spider Hunting Wasp, or Spider Wasp, which has paralysed a spider with its neurotoxic venom.

It will take the spider to its nesting site, where it will burrow the spider underground and lay eggs in the spider's abdomen!

Once the eggs hatch, the larvae eat the spider's remains until they cocoon. After three weeks they will become adults themselves and start the process all over again.

Our planet is truly filled with fascinating (and somewhat gruesome) critters!

10/03/2025

Angie and Eve are, as always, super-enthusiastic to receive their milk feed. 🦏🍼Daily milk feeds cost around $25 (around R457) per rhino calf. If you can assist with even just one of these feeds, we would be so grateful.

DONATE A DAILY FEED HERE: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-baby-rhinos

Doesn’t this look delicious? It is our The Royal Rhino milkshake, now on offer at our Deli. Please remember to order yo...
09/03/2025

Doesn’t this look delicious? It is our The Royal Rhino milkshake, now on offer at our Deli. Please remember to order yours when you visit us. Also remember to take home a bottle of Royal Rhino liqueur in support of our rhinos.

Address

R40 Between Hoedspruit And Klaserie
Hoedspruit
1380

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 13:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 13:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 13:00
Thursday 09:00 - 13:00
Friday 09:00 - 13:00
Saturday 09:00 - 13:00
Sunday 09:00 - 13:00

Telephone

+27124602570

Website

Alerts

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Videos

Can you donate a milk feed for baby rhinos Angie and Eve this week?
Can you donate a milk feed for baby rhinos Angie and Eve this week?

Can you help us with a milk feed for Angie and Eve? 🩷🦏 The GlobalGiving LittlexLittle campaign is officially live! From today until Friday, each donation made up to $50 can be matched with an extra 50%. This means many more much-needed milk feeds! 🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼🦏🍼 DONATE A MILK FEED HERE: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-baby-rhinos

Released Marbled Tree Snake
Released Marbled Tree Snake

HESC guide Dan to the rescue! Another snake was found on the premises and released into a safe area. This time it was a Marbled Tree Snake. While mildly venomous, it isn’t a threat to humans, and feeds off lizards and frogs. It is a nocturnal snake and likes to hide in hollow trees. It can reach 50 – 60 cm in length.

Wild dogs in a deep sleep
Wild dogs in a deep sleep

The wild dogs are enjoying their sleep - so much so that not even a human voice, or the presence of another wild dog on the other side of the fence, can get them to wake up. Clearly they know they are safe here.

Baby rhinos Angie and Eve find relief for their itchy skin
Baby rhinos Angie and Eve find relief for their itchy skin

Angie and Eve were scratching away on a branch to relieve their itchy skin. A rhino’s skin is up to 5 cm (2 inches) thick, but still sensitive and prone to scratches and even sunburn. Mud baths help to protect their skin from sunburn and insect bites. 🦏💜🦏

King cheetah Pina shows affection to her sister Tilda
King cheetah Pina shows affection to her sister Tilda

King cheetah Pina showing affection to sister Tilda. 🥰 Sound up for purrs.🥰 In the wild, cheetah cubs separate from their mothers at around 18 months of age, but remain together with their siblings for another 6 months. Once they reach sexual maturity at around 24 months, the females will leave the group to lead a solitary life. Males remain together in coalitions.

Baby rhino milk - a careful consideration
Baby rhino milk - a careful consideration

Did you know that both Angie and Eve’s milk formula is carefully mixed in accordance to their tolerances, and to ensure that they receive sufficient nutrition. While mom’s milk will always be best, we have to do what we can for their healthy growth in the absence of this option.

Paulie had himself a tasty yoghurt breakfast today. In case you were wondering … it’s pineapple and kiwi flavour.

Look what we found! An adorable baby terrapin, which was nearly accidentally stepped on by Angie while she was drinking her milk. Thanks to the sharp eyes of our guides, the little one could be saved and returned to one of the natural dams on the property.

Sable calf suckling
Sable calf suckling

One of our sable calves can be seen here suckling from mom. Mother’s milk provides the little one with all the nutrients needed until the calf reaches 8 months of age, when it will be weaned.

All about the Naboom
All about the Naboom

We’re deviating slightly to plants today to show you an amazing tree commonly known as a Candelabra tree or Naboom. Its milky latex can be extremely poisonous when ingested, and when the latex comes into contact with skin, it can cause severe irritation, blisters and burns.

Mozambique Spitting Cobra found amongst our packaging
Mozambique Spitting Cobra found amongst our packaging

Yesterday we discovered a Mozambique Spitting Cobra stuck to some package stickers in one of our buildings. Thankfully Dan saw it and took it through to the Hoedspruit Reptile Centre for assessment before it was released back into nature. The Mozambique Spitting Cobra is a venomous snake and feeds on a diet of small mammals, reptiles – and even other snakes.

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HESC - The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre, South Africa

The Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC), is living proof that people can make a difference to the long-term survival of the planet and its animal inhabitants.

Our centre has been in operation for almost 30 years and is one of South Africa’s leading conservation and rehabilitation centres for endangered species. The centre is also well respected for its successful cheetah breeding and conservation programmes.

Our founder, Lente Roode originally built the centre specifically for cheetah conservation, however, through the years animals from all over the country were brought to us for rehabilitation and sanctuary. We work and will continue to work with some of South Africa’s top wildlife vets for treatment of the wildlife in our care.

HESC’s main objective is the conservation of rare, vulnerable and endangered animal species. We are actively involved in the research and breeding of endangered animal species, the release and establishment of captive-bred cheetahs in the wild, and the treatment and rehabilitation of wildlife (including victims of rhino poaching). We rely solely on donations to do the work we do