After becoming extinct in the Transvaal about 1896 (Bigalke 1963), four white rhinos were reintroduced to the southwestern section of the Kruger National Park on 14 October 1961 (Pienaar 1970). The rhinos, two bulls and two cows, were released in a specially constructed 257 ha enclosure at Faai near Pretoriuskop Rest Camp, and adapted themselves well. After having produced four calves in the intervening years and with a 7-month old calf at heel, the cow named Faai died unexpectedly on 29 October 1974. The necropsy was performed the next day.
On the 29th October 1974 an old female white or square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) was found dead in the Kruger National Park. She had a 7-month old calf at heel. A necropsy was performed the next day.
On the 29th October 1974 an old female white or square-lipped rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) was found dead in the Kruger National Park. She had a 7-month old calf at heel. A necropsy was performed the next day. On opening up the abdomen signs of an acute diffuse peritonitis were visible. The blood vessels of the stomach and intestines were distended and a large quantity of foul-smelling dark-coloured fluid with pus was found in the abdominal cavity. Advanced abdominal and intestinal tympany were present. As depicted by the above figure, a portion of the small intestine was twisted around its own axis, winding the mesentery taut to form total occlusion or strangulation of the lumen and blood vessels. In the above figure the affected portion was held by an assistant. The upper arm indicates the point where twisting, occlusion and strangulation took place. A diagnosis of volvulus was made. The rhinoceros is supposed to be a species closely allied to the horse, both being members of the Order Perissodactyla. A similar layout of the lower alimentary system further corro- borates this theory. The gross anatomical features which predispose volvulus in the horse, are therefore also present in the rhinoceros and must have some significance in the aetiology of the present case.
