Born to Love Animals

A month ago, I wrote a guest post for Newberry Honor-winning author Kirby Larson’s #FriendFridayblog about my latest book, Rhino Rescue!, and the amazing and risky work that animal care specialists do to help endangered animals survive. Shortly after the article was published, Dereck and Beverly Joubert, two National Geographic Explorers-in Residence I interviewed for the book, had a close brush with death when a buffalo attacked Beverly near their camp one evening in the Okavango Delta. Beverly was speared by the animal’s horns causing her serious injuries. Dereck was injured, too, but not as badly, and was able to rescue her. They then spent a long, perilous night waiting to be airlifted to a hospital. Four surgeries later, Beverly has made a miraculous recovery and the couple was able to leave the hospital together earlier this month. Dereck’s comment on their FaceBook page this week shows the true grit these Rhino rescuers possess as they look forward to getting back to work with Rhinos without Borders airlifting these endangered animals to a safer home:  “You can anticipate more fire in our veins for this cause we appear to have been born to.”