Hundreds of rhinos are poached every year for their horns. But in May 2015, one animal made headlines for the brutal condition in which poachers left her. Her face mauled, her bones fractured and exposed, the white rhino had almost no chance. But the Saving the Survivors team of vets were determined to rescue her. They named her Hope.

On the road to recovery, Hope underwent multiple facial reconstructive surgeries. Wary of others, she remained alone for four and a half months. While rhinos are solitary creatures, they cannot live by themselves forever. So the team at Shamwari Private Game Reserve put a plan in action to provide a companion for Hope. Conservation photographer Adrian Steirn documented their mission.

In the pouring rain, a group of rangers joined forces to dart and relocate a male rhino. The experience was both nerve-wracking and gut-wrenching. “You’re seeing this animal and you can see it distressed,” Steirn said. “I find it quite hard sometimes, and wondering, ‘Are we doing the right thing?’” But the moment Hope eventually bounded toward her companion and stood metres from him, it became clear that it was. We all need connection. Though Hope succumbed to complications from her injuries over a year later, for the last few months of her life she was not alone.

Footage by Adrian Steirn was used in the creation of this film.