It’s all fun and games for the bold and playful young lioness at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. She seems proud of herself for having demolished her catnip sack. Dhubiya has an incredible spirit despite her harrowing past. A victim of the illegal lion pet trade, she was left to die in the desert outside Kuwait City – either dumped by a trafficker or an owner no longer wanting a lion as a status symbol ‘pet’.
Continue readingOn this Independence Day in the US, we celebrate with a look back at the Kuwait 6 lions’ journey to a new life in Africa. Less than two months ago, the young lions rescued from the illegal wildlife trade made the unforgettable journey from Kuwait to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa.
Dumped in the desert or streets of Kuwait City they were cared for at the Kuwait zoo until we were able to relocate them. Our thanks again to the staff and volunteers at the Kuwait zoo, Qatar Airways Cargo and their WeQare program for donating the flight, Dr Peter Caldwell, and everyone who came together to help give the lions a second chance at life they never knew existed.
Enjoy this photo gallery showing just how far Saif, Dhubiya, Muheeb, Aziza, Shujaa and Saham have come.
Celebrate their freedom by donating towards their care: Donate US$ / CA$ | Donate £ / Euros / Rand
As they play and cuddle in the long grass at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, it’s hard to believe that Tomas and Kimba were ever separated. In fact as cubs they were torn apart as by a circus in Guatemala, and Tomas was sent to a zoo. ADI rescued Kimba from the circus when Guatemala banned animal circuses and then a few months later the zoo decided Tomas was no longer wanted. Our temporary rescue unit got just 25 minutes notice that Tomas would be dropped off. We finally reunited the boys at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. These days they are rarely apart. Rescued lions from circuses cannot be returned to the wild, so at ADIWS we give them the closest we can to a natural life. Huge natural habitats in the land of their forefathers and contact with their own kind. In the wild, the groups of male lions, usually relatives, are known as coalitions. We think Kimba and Tomas make a pretty formidable coalition.
Click here to help care for these brothers so they can continue to thrive together.
16-year-old Kiara2 is one of our seniors at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary but hasn’t lost any of her stalking ability. We cut the grass in sections of the habitats to encourage the next season’s growth, but Kiara2 still manages to flatten herself in the short grass as she creeps forward before springing up to check out whoever is passing by. Daughter of Leo and Muñeca, she lives with, sister from another litter, 12-year-old Africa. She was rescued from a tiny circus cage in the desert in Peru during ADI’s Operation Spirit of Freedom, and this year, celebrates 10 years in ADI care.
Click here to help Kiara continue to thrive in her natural, wild space.
GREAT NEWS: The lab results for the lump which was recently removed from Tanya’s back by Dr. Peter Caldwell show it was benign. Tarzan was extra protective of his beloved Tanya when she returned from the operation and sat in front of her for a while, as she recovered, tucked inside the den. Over the coming days, Tarzan was licking Tanya and smothering her so much with kisses, that he actually removed one of her stitches! The ADI Wildlife Sanctuary team sent a picture to Peter to check whether this would be a problem, and he said it would be fine. The pair, who were rescued from a circus in Guatemala, are very much back to their old selves, with Tanya as feisty as ever!
To adopt this sweet couple and help support their ongoing care: UK store | US store
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Muheeb, Dhubiya and Saif have been loving playing with their giant balls at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Their ball skills even made it into the news this weekend as part of the coverage of the UEFA European Football Championships! The trio and three other lions were once trophy pets in Kuwait but were dumped by their owners when they were no longer wanted. Known as the Kuwait 6 they were recaptured in the streets of Kuwait City or the desert that surrounds it and looked after at the closed Kuwait Zoo until ADI stepped in to bring them to our 455 acre sanctuary in South Africa. With the Copa América also underway, if there are any teams looking for little more bite in attack or defence, then perhaps Muheeb, Dhubiya, and Saif could teach them a thing or two.
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Mighty Kesari is reduced to a playful kitty when it comes to catnip. The huge lion loves the recycled coffee sacks stuffed with hay and catnip given as enrichment at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Although our residents have huge enclosures this type of enrichment provides additional stimulation and fun.
Click here to donate towards more enrichment for Kesari and the other big cats.
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Lupe is one of the lucky big cats to escape a circus with her claws intact and you can see how much she enjoys using them on this fallen branch at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.
Anyone who has seen a cat (wild or domestic) flex their claws and scratch a post or a tree will see how important it is to these animals. Declawing is a horrific mutilation performed in circuses to remove the important defensive weapons from the animals and, tragically, by some domestic cat owners to protect their furniture. Declawing doesn’t mean simply cutting off a claw, it’s an amputation to the first joint – ADI supporters will remember dear Cholita the bear with fingers left as stumps. The mutilation damages the entire structure of the foot and can leave cats in severe pain later life. NEVER DECLAW.
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Shujaa looks right at home at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa and that’s not surprising since he’s back where nature intended! One of the Kuwait 6 lions rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade, having been dumped in the streets of Kuwait City, he now shares the 4-acre Abbey Habitat with his brother Saham. The boys have trees to lounge under and tall grass to stalk through. The choice is theirs. Please keep sharing their story and help support their care in their new life.
To adopt Shujaa or the two brothers as a pair: UK store | US store
The youngest of the #Kuwait6 lions can’t get enough of the catnip sacks. It’s just one of the many enrichments he and his partner-in-crime Dhubiya enjoy at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.
The two are very curious, playful, love to tear into catnip sacks, take down the teff hay insulation bales, and get into everything.
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