A family of six donkeys, one male, three females and two foals, that were abandoned when a tourist lodge went into administration, are starting a new life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS), South Africa. Our friends at the SPCA Bloemfontein asked if we could help and when we said “Yes”, brought them straight to ADIWS to ensure they would not be killed by poachers. They are currently in a four-acre enclosure while we settle them in, but will eventually be able to roam freely around the sanctuary – they will not be allowed to breed. Enjoy their first steps to a new life.
Author: animaldefendersinternational
Smith relaxing in hospital
The huge, beloved lion remains in hospital where Dr Caldwell has concluded that the root of his ill health issues is a heart problem. As our pic shows, Smith is relaxed and he is eating and taking his medication, but his condition is serious and Dr Caldwell will do what he can for our boy. We dearly hope that he will be back at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary soon. Please send your love, thoughts and prayers to Smith. (Smith has no mane because he was castrated before ADI rescued him from a circus in Peru)
Help keep them warm
Winter is coming in South Africa, where it can get very cold, sometimes with ice on the lake at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.
Hay bales are used to insulate the outdoor dens, which are also covered with conveyor belt rubber. Inside, a thick layer of nice soft teff grass. Although ADIWS residents have free access to their houses (heated for our seniors), they mainly like being out in their dens under their viewing platforms.
Help Ruben roar
Fantastic news – RUBEN’S EXPORT PERMIT HAS BEEN ISSUED and we have applied for his import permit!
We’re getting ever closer to moving this lonely lion to the safety of the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, where, for the first time in five years, he’ll be able to interact with his own kind.
Ruben was the last animal left in an abandoned private zoo in the Artsakh region. Confined to a small cage, his roars went unanswered. Eventually, he gave up, giving only the occasional pitiful cry.
But Ruben’s life will be transformed when he joins the rescued big cat community at the #ADIWildlifeSanctuary – and we cannot wait to hear him ROAR!
Ruben is currently being cared for in a bear sanctuary in Armenia run by the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife & Cultural Assets (FPWC). ADI is funding his care.
Even a small donation will help as we get closer to Ruben’s big move! Donate UK £ | Donate US $
Making a difference for animals
Enjoy this celebration of an incredible life. A chance encounter over 20 years ago between the ADI founders and a young Peruvian musician, Alexis Diaz Limaco, would change the course of his life and the lives of countless animals. The undercover investigations he took part in would lead to campaigns to end circus suffering across South America, circus animal bans in multiple countries and ADI’s huge rescues, saving hundreds of animals. Alexis passed away in April, enjoy this tribute to a colleague and friend and see the animals whose lives he helped transform. A reminder of how each of us can make a huge impact. Thank you Alexis.
To donate towards the Alexis Memorial appeal, for which donations will be doubled, thanks to a generous matching pledge: Donate UK £ | Donate US $
Sasha gets a new play center
Sasha is not quite sure what to choose – her new play center, Robust-a-balls, or melons.
The indomitable Sasha was rescued from a circus in Guatemala where they cut off her toes to prevent the claws growing, but one was crushed, her leg got infected. When ADI rescued her six years later, she had a permanent limp, the infection had turned into cancer and moved up her leg.
Continue readingHis smile says it all
Bumba, rescued from a circus in Colombia, is loving his A frame (made out of branches) at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. It provides just the right amount of shade while still allowing him to see through. These A frames are hugely popular because many of our ADIWS residents have FOMO (fear of missing out). So far, the A frames have also been given to Sasha lioness, ReyA and Simba, Tomas and Kimba, Kesari, and Sasha tiger. Stay tuned for more photos!
We would love to make more A frames for the rest of our residents to enjoy. Can you help? It costs UK £53 / US $66 / R1,200 each. You can donate towards one (or more) here: Donate UK £ | Donate US $
Worlds apart
These are sisters Africa and Kiara today in the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, looking just like two lionesses should. It seems almost unimaginable that the cage in the second picture was their entire world for years in a circus in Peru. We took the second picture just after we had rescued them following Peru’s circus ban. Thanks to that ban no lions will ever be forced to live in the cage again and Africa and Kiara get to enjoy life in their natural world.
READ ON TO FIND OUT HOW A DONATION FOR THE LIONESSES THIS WEEKEND WILL BE DOUBLED
Continue readingSmith still in hospital but getting stronger
Smith is responding to treatment at Old Chapel Veterinary Hospital in Dr Peter Caldwell’s care and seems to be regaining his strength now. He enjoys sunning himself in the tunnel outside his hospital room and happily takes his medications out there (third pic). Good news is that he is eating 4kg a day. We can’t wait to get our big old boy back to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary but want to get him back to his old self.
We are so grateful to an anonymous donor who has supported the ADIWS veterinary costs. With the background of these animals and the fact that many are getting older now, this would have been a very difficult challenge without their help. Please remember that it is often the day to day, long term care of animals, feeding, transport, staff to look after them etc, for the years after they have been rescued that pose the biggest challenge for ourselves and indeed many sanctuaries.
Circus survivors from Latin America
These are the circus survivors from Latin America who made it home to Africa. In operations to enforce ban on animals in circuses in Bolivia, Colombia, Peru and Guatemala, ADI emptied the cages and rescued over 80 lions and tigers, most went to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, but also other sanctuaries. We currently have 30 of these warriors at ADIWS.
Today we say a huge lion-hearted thank you on their behalf, to Alexis Diaz Limaco, who passed away last week, who played an integral role saving them. These are the faces that say “campaigning for animals makes a real difference.”
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ADI Wildlife Sanctuary 