Update: Hope The Rhino Still Doing Well Despite Missing Part Of Her Face [Graphic Content]

[Warning: Graphic Content]

Hope is the only name worthy of one rhino. Back in May, the Inquisitr reported on a rhino that overcame daunting odds and survived a brutal poaching attack. The rhino, aptly named Hope by Saving the Survivors, is still alive and well.

Rhino horn is a rare and expensive treat for some. The horns, once carved, have a certain transparent look that collectors crave. Rhino horn is also said to help cure poison and is frequently bought in Vietnam as a medicine. In the eyes of some, the money gained through the sale of rhino horns is worth more than the life of the rhino.

In most instances, rhinos are left for dead once the horn has been taken. However, poachers have been known to shoot and kill the animal before retrieving the horn.

Hope was of the former category. After poachers brutally hacked off her horn, she was just left. Luckily, she was found before succumbing to her wounds.

Saving the Survivors is a group project put together with a specific interest in saving rhinos. They take in orphans and injured rhinos, nursing them back to health so they may, once again, be part of the dwindling rhino population.

Thanks to the organization, Hope received a second chance at life. Hope was the worst case they had seen in a survivor. The poachers had hacked away a large portion of her face, exposing her sinus cavities and breaking facial bones.

Doctor’s initially set Hope up with a rigid cast bandage that would protect the wound. However, they recently removed the bandage because it began to fall apart. The wound, though gnarly and exposed, looks good, according to vets.

Saving the Survivors updates their Facebook page regularly with Hope’s status. The last update, on June 5, assured fans that the rhino is doing well.

“Hi Guys. Hope is good today. She was a little more active because of the cold. She hasn’t tried to rub her face much at all which is a good sign.

She is eating and drinking well. Our girl is looking strong for her next procedure on Monday.”

The Facebook page was also updated with a video detailing the removal of Hope’s facial bandage.

While Hope has become the unofficial spokes-animal for Saving the Survivors (STS), the group has done much more to help rhinos in need. Hope is not the only rhino in their care, and unfortunately, will not be the last. As long as poachers are around to kill mothers and maim adults, STS will be there to help.

There is one thing that everyone can learn from this rhino’s tale: hope will always survive.

[Photos via Saving the Survivors Facebook]