Sergeant Hawks and the others were fully prepared. Just when I put on my rescue helmet I had blasted deja vu in my mind. We had all our equipment ready, as time: it was dawn, 4.00 o’clock in the morn’ to be precise. We hugged and had one rough shot since we didn’t know what was to be.
Crossed our hearts and we got on the ‘F320’ assault helicopters. There was not much assault in it since it was another rescue mission. Huge black rhinos were to be saved by us, if it weren’t for us they’d suffer till death. The helicopter thundered when we were on our way.
It look us about five hours to reach lake Kariba, but seems like ages for me and the rest of the crew. Due to the sound of our helicopter the birds were flying away from trees. Frankly, I am scared of rhinos especially the blacks. “Bad Luck Fogg”, Hawks complimented as we were searching for black rhinos.
We found a pair of black rhinos stranded on the inundated piece of land. James, the heli-pad operator lowered the crate full of fresh leaves and fruits. The mammoth sized crate opens all we have to do is to deceive these enormous creatures into the crate. They were probably scared.
Anyway they went inside. We stated our journey back. James turns off the heli-calibrator and we’re off! Three minutes in-return and the metal rope breaks, strand by strand. The crate hit the ground with a thud.
We called a double-flier helicopter immediately. Me and Hawks went down the ropes of the helicopter to check the rhinos, Hawks opens the crate…….. “They’re fine!” I exploded, and so was the crate: good ventilation and as cool as a cucumber.
With no delay we combined the crate to the double-flier. We got on board and went to the base quickly as possible. We went twenty more rounds in search for black rhinos. In total we rescued 32 rare species of rhinos(black). We were fulfilled and satisfied as it was a normal thing for zoologist officer and a corporal to do.
– Written by Dilmin Bandaranayake