Author: animaldefendersinternational

Farewell to a warrior for animals

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Yesterday, the animals lost a true champion with the passing of Alexis Diaz Limaco, ADI’s Latin America General Manager. His impact for animals was immense. The ADI family has lost a great friend and colleague.

It was a chance meeting in London over 20 years ago that led Jan and Tim to recruit a young Peruvian for ADI’s undercover team. He would prove to be the vital part of the jigsaw of skills which saw ADIs work change laws and attitudes across Latin America.

He began investigating circuses in Spain and Portugal, securing harrowing footage which subsequently help drive bans in both countries on wild animals in circuses. Then he returned to South America, and truly found his calling.

ADI had rescued Toto the chimpanzee from a circus in Chile and launched a campaign to ban animal circuses, tantalizingly close to a ban in Chile, but a major investigation of the Latin American circus industry was needed. Alexis headed home.

Alexis assembled a team. Moving from country to country, he and his team faced huge risks. In Bolivia, he fought off a gang of circus thugs with his tripod; on another occasion, his leg was broken by a circus after he was caught filming.

For two years, the team was undercover inside circuses in Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, and Brazil. The footage was horrific: appalling living conditions and animals were being beaten, kicked, punched, even having rocks hurled at them.

Alexis headed to the countries where we had the most evidence teaming up with local campaigners to launch the findings, getting our materials printed, organizing press conferences. The investigation shocked the continent, causing public outcry.

Alexis had been a human rights activist and now threw himself into lobbying for circus bans. Bolivia became the first South American country to ban animals in circuses and then, a new challenge emerged…

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Smith in hospital

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Please send your thoughts and love to Smith, who is back in hospital. We were so pleased when Smith appeared to have bounced back after a slow recovery from a gastric infection, and was reunited with his brother Rey Cusco. Sadly, Smith’s condition deteriorated again, he stopped eating so we quickly got him back to Dr Caldwell at Old Chapel Veterinary Clinic. The pictures today show Smith is already looking brighter, and has eaten a little. He is having tests to find out what the problem is, so Smith will remain under observation for a while. We are all concerned but hoping for the best.

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The chick who grew up for Easter

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Meet Adie, a guinea fowl chick who was hand reared at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, after being found separated from her wild family and close to death. ADI Maintenance Specialist Kidro, with his daughter Kiara, hand reared the little chick and released her as quickly as possible, close to the other guinea fowl groups on the Sanctuary. Adie had other ideas – she has become an established member of our group of “misfits” – Tulip Turkey, Gertie Guinea Fowl (both already on the land when we purchased it), and another wild guinea fowl who joined them. Adie is growing fast and likes to visit the other guinea fowl groups, then return to the misfits – all are regular visitors around Chris Lee Lodge (our future volunteer house).

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Adopt Max and Stripes as an Easter gift

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Rescued with their family from a circus in Guatemala at just six months old, Max and Stripes have their whole lives ahead of them – in freedom.

The boys have benefitted from a proper diet and are now huge, powerful, personalities with Max being the natural leader.

Easter is coming – symbolic of new life and beginnings – can you adopt our big boys and help secure their lifetime care? And what a great Easter gift!

Adopt US $ | Adopt UK £

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Special habitat for a special lion

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We are counting down to moving lonely Ruben, who has not heard another lion for over five years, from Armenia to his new life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. Once in South Africa, his suspected neurological and spinal problems can be assessed using advanced scanning technology. 

At ADIWS we have designed a habitat to meet his special needs as he undergoes treatment, including a house with heated floor, a feeding camp with a special low-level platform and a half-acre natural habitat with a special platform with den underneath, where Ruben’s special needs are accommodated with grass slopes or gentle steps leading to the top of his viewing platform. 

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Sunny side of life

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Tomas enjoys a huge yawn as he lies contentedly in Avi habitat that he shares with Kimba at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. The brothers were separated as cubs in a Guatemala circus, then reunited after ADI rescued them. Sasha lioness, rescued from the same circus, lives in Jacque Habitat next door and shares a fence line with the boys.

To adopt Tomas and help with his care: Adopt UK £ | Adopt US $

Home sweet home

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Saved from a circus in Guatemala, we thought you might like to see how Tarzan and Tanya are settling into their new habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. During our recent veterinary day, many of you saw Tarzan and Tanya moved to a new, larger home – the 2.5+ acre Augie Habitat. The lions were initially cautious about exploring and, inevitably, it was Tanya who stepped out to do initial reconnaissance. This picture, on Sunday evening shows the devoted couple enjoying their new love nest amongst the trees. That tiny, bare circus cage in Guatemala must seem a distant memory now in the golden glow of the African sun.

Keep following ADI here and on social media to find out how you can help transform the lives of animals.