Can you believe it’s seven years ago this month that our lion king Kesari came into our lives at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary?

What a day it was, waiting for him to come out of his travel crate and the days waiting for him to roar. This didn’t indicate timidity, a crate is a good place to defend when you have suddenly been moved and are still a bit groggy from a sedative.

Kesari certainly has no shortage of confidence. friends with Chino and Coco and Rey Ayacucho who he sat with after Simba passed away. He’s also our heavyweight, the biggest lion and one of the loudest voices in our chorus.

Without the intervention of ADI, Pretoria Zoo and Captured In Africa Foundation, his future could have been very different.

Driven from his pride there was nowhere for him and a magnificent lion like Kesari would have brought a lot of money from a cowardly trophy hunter had he gone up for auction. But the zoo provided a home until a safe haven could be found.

Today is in fact Kesari’s 12th birthday – join us in wishing him a happy birthday.