Miracle in Knowsley: Rhino recovers from never-before-seen fracture!

At Knowsley Safari, every animal holds a special place in our hearts, but Amara, our playful southern white rhinoceros, has been on an extraordinary journey. Born in October 2022 and introduced to the world on Channel 4’s Secret Life of the Safari Park, Amara is known for her playful character. But earlier this year, a mysterious limp in her right leg left our animal keepers concerned.

Amara's initial treatment involved rest and pain relief. However, after further investigation, we brought in equine surgeons from the University of Liverpool for an advanced diagnosis. Using radiographs, the team discovered a rare and unusual fracture in her ulna, located near the wrist joint. To our surprise, no documentation or case studies existed worldwide for a rhino with this type of injury.

The equine surgeons, using their expertise from treating horses, devised a plan for Amara’s surgery. It was an unprecedented operation—under anaesthesia, the large team performed five hours of intricate keyhole surgery inside Amara’s enclosure.

Dr. David Stack, Senior Lecturer in Equine Surgery at the University of Liverpool, explains: “Amara’s operation is unlike anything we’ve experienced previously. We knew we could position the camera inside her joint, but due to the unprecedented nature of the procedure, we didn’t know how much room we would have to operate, or how much of the affected area we would be able to see.”

After the operation, Amara wore a full limb cast to support her recovery. She stayed in her enclosure alongside her mum, Meru, to minimise movement and ensure a comforting environment. Our dedicated team made sure Amara had everything she needed.

Dr Stack continues: “We were unsure if the cast would be strong enough and how Amara would cope with such a restriction on her limb. We hoped that she would accept it and that she would be able to move around, get down and, importantly, back up again but this was unchartered water.”

In May, after 27 long weeks, Amara’s cast was finally removed. She returned to the paddock with the rest of the rhinos, continuing her recovery under the watchful eyes of our animal care team. To further support her healing, Amara’s joint was injected with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) made from her own blood, giving her body an extra boost in the recovery process.

Our Ungulate Team Manager, Lindsay Banks said: “Amara dealt so well with her treatment and wearing the cast, with it finally being removed in May. It was 27 weeks from Amara fracturing her leg, to being let back out into the paddock to join the rest of the crash and as her recovery continues, we’re continuing to monitor her closely.”

Dr Stack concludes: “Treating Amara has been a truly ground-breaking veterinary journey incorporating many firsts which we will now document should another animal team encounter similar scenarios in the future, though we very much hope the notes are never needed.”