Charlie was only a few days old when his family completely deserted him.
With such limited experience on this planet, this tiny, newly orphaned South African hippo grew exceedingly malnourished and severely dehydrated very quickly. He also developed a scary bout of urachus.
Thankfully, after a few days of surveillance, local conservation authorities brought him to the Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage, where rescuers jumped right in, tending to Charlie's ailments and nursing him back from the brink.
While at times the team wasn't entirely sure he'd survive, these healers devoted themselves to little Charlie's recovery.
Though we'll likely never know what prompted Charlie's abandonment, we do know that he's now finding solace in his devoted rescue team.
Since arriving at the orphanage, Charlie's attitude has dramatically improved, and he's loving every chance he gets to explore the outdoors.
Thanks to their love and care, this wild animal is slowly but surely making his way out of the woods and into the light.
Keep scrolling through our gallery to learn more about this adorable hippo's heartwarming recovery.
[H/T: The Dodo]
When rescuers found little Charlie the hippo, he hadn't eaten in days.
Charlie's family had abandoned him shortly after his birth. Local conservation authorities monitored him for 48 hours, hoping his herd would return, but to no avail.
Newly orphaned, this poor, starving hippo barely weighed 60 lbs. He needed intensive care, and he needed it pronto.
Authorities shuttled Charlie to the Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage for immediate rehabilitation.
While Charlie did begin responding to the facility's diligent care fairly quickly, one challenge remained: a worrisome bout of urachus.
Karen Trendler of the Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage explained via Facebook post, "Our only concern is that it appears as though he is still urinating through the umbilical cord."
At the time, she wrote, "We are hoping that this is a developmental issue that will resolve on its own."
Trendler did have more concrete cause to hope, explaining that, "I have worked with both zebra and rhino with this condition before, and in some cases the situation resolved without the need for intervention and in one case, surgery was successfully carried out."
So, Charlie's team continued providing intensive care, all the while hoping for the best.
After a bit more than a week's worth of care, Trendler joyously reported via a Facebook post that, "The patent urachus has resolved without the need for veterinary-surgical intervention."
Little Charlie was finally on the mend.
Trendler continued sharing Charlie's progress: “His weight is still low, but this is expected as compromised orphans take a while to catch up.
"There is nothing wrong his attitude and appetite! And he loves going outdoors for walks."
Charlie's rescue team will continue monitoring his progress.
But for now, he's enjoying all the sunny mornings and strolls around the grounds he can get.
When everything he'd known vanished in an instant, these rescuers swooped in, diligently nursing this adorable hippo back into good health.
What do you think of little Charlie's story? Have you ever gotten to spend time with a rescue hippo? Tell us about your experience in the comments below.
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