The ADI Wildlife Sanctuary is most commonly known as a refuge for ex-circus lions and tigers. But it is also home to many other species of animals, including goats and sheep who have been rescued from different abuses.
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Like most felines, our big cats LOVE to play. Whether they’re leaping and bounding around their platform, playing hide and seek in the tall grasses or rolling about in mounds of hay, they never say no to a little fun!
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When we first purchased the 455 acres of land for our sanctuary in South Africa, much of it was barren from agriculture and grazing.
It needed a lot of work to make it a luxurious home for our rescued wildlife.
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Six years on from that junkyard rescue in Guatemala: how do you think Max and Stripes are doing?
The circus had been in hiding for months, but on November 10th 2018, an ADI team entered a junkyard with police and wildlife officials to rescue six month old Max and Stripes and four other tigers – all destined for the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. Given a nutritious diet since the rescue the boys have grown bigger than all of the adult tigers saved that day. Today, they are confident, playful, roam acres of natural habitat with pools in Kakato Habitat and still live next to their mom Lupe.
Sunset at the Sanctuary is truly a magical moment to behold. As the sun dips below the horizon, golden light bathes our residents in its warm glow.
The setting sun is a reminder that each day we are making a difference where it matters – giving a voice to those who don’t have one to speak for themselves.
Mahla lounges on her new platform for a couple of hours at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, then slips elegantly down to the ground. We’d like to thank everyone who contributed to building the new platform after the boisterous Cusco pride broke the last one. Mahla was rescued as a cub by ADI from a circus in Peru ten years ago.
Thanks to our wonderful supporters, like yourself, our rescued lions, tigers, horses, pigs and others have been in fun paradise at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary with pumpkins, hay bale castles and catnip scarecrows and we will be able to keep the fun going this month.
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We were over the moon to see Lupe back to her old self, enjoying a Halloween treat after suffering a seizure last week.
As ADI supporters know, the tigers we rescued from a circus in Guatemala have suffered from multiple health problems due to in-breeding and malnutrition early in life.
It is tragic how an early life poor care follows these tigers even after they are rescued. Heartbreakingly, four of the tigers we saved in 2018, Sombra, Bimbi, Itza, and Kumal passed away due to these issues.
The ADI Wildlife Sanctuary team keeps Lupe under close observation and Dr Caldwell monitors and adjusts her medication – her last seizure had been in June.
Lupe’s sons Max and Stripes, who live next door to her, appear to have avoided this problem. They were rescued by ADI at six months old, and so have enjoyed good nutrition from an early age, so have developed and grown larger and hopefully healthier than their parents.
Smith has faced several health challenges in recent years but you wouldn’t believe it when he caught sight of a Halloween pumpkin on one of his platforms at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary and launched himself at it.
This picture shows why enrichment is so important for captive animals, giving them different experiences and keeping them mentally and physically stimulated.
Ten years ago Smith was the most famous lion in the world after a clip went viral of him dragging an audience member around a circus ring in Peru. A particularly irresponsible circus act, in which Smith was meant to jump over a member of the audience, went wrong. As a result ADI rescued Smith and all of the other animals that remained in the circus.
Ten years on you can see just how powerful he is and just how stupid it was to put a member of the public in a circus ring with him!
Happy Halloween Smith.
This time last year, Ruben was playing with and even devouring pumpkins! A reminder of how this brave lion seized life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary and savored every experience and treat.
Rescued from a closed-down zoo in Armenia, he arrived at ADIWS with serious health issues, barely able to muster a few steps without falling. In seven glorious months he drove himself on to walk, climb the slope in his habitat, roar with other lions, sleep under the African stars, and play.
His time with us was too short but reminds us all that for animals rescued from suffering every day of freedom is precious.
ADI Wildlife Sanctuary 