Max and Stripes check out their new ball and tire swing in their Kakato by April Fong Habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary – our thanks to Kunduchi Pet Products for donating the catnip.
Together with their family, these brothers were rescued from a circus in Guatemala when they were just six months old. This is why, having enjoyed a proper diet under our care, they have grown into huge, powerful boys.
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This tender moment shared between Scarc and aunt Amazonas at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary will melt your heart. The two have an incredible bond spend a lot of time together. Scarc was just a cub when we rescued him and his family from a circus in Peru, and has become the protector of his sister, mother, and aunt Amazonas.
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Ruben looks ready to join defending champions South Africa as the tournament kicks off in France. After shredding his giant Kunduchi Pet Products punchbags, today we gave him this ‘rugby ball’ and he proudly strode around his camp with it at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa.
Ruben recently arrived from a zoo in Armenia, where he was alone in a tiny cage and developed difficulty walking due to poor care and nutrition. He has stunned people with his determination to stay on his feet and keep moving, and is now able to do a full circuit of his camp without falling. Enrichment like his ‘rugby ball’ is a vital part of his rehabilitation. It’s also essential for all of the 32 rescued lions and tigers at the sanctuary. You can help by donating toward more enrichment. Donate US $ | Donate UK £
The story of our rescue of Ruben the lion from Armenia – dubbed “the loneliest lion in the world” – exploded worldwide, with coverage in the US, UK, South Africa, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Montenegro, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
Ruben’s suffering and the rescue has touched the hearts of millions, and importantly, we got into the headlines the suffering of isolation and impacts on the health of captive animals.
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Kiara1 and Amazonas enjoy some quiet time together in their Tohir Habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Although the Cusco family is tight knit, the sisters have the freedom of choice and space to spend some time away from the younger family members. You might recall Mahla enthusiastically tearing into the Kunduchi catnip punchbag.
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An additional tragedy of captive animal abuse is that the impacts of their past can impact their lives long after they are rescued – many of you are following Ruben’s valiant battle to overcome the damage done to him. Our beloved Lupe, rescued from a circus in Guatemala is haunted by her past. The mother of tigers Max and Stripes – initially it was believed Sombra was the mother but it has been confirmed otherwise – she suffers seizures due to malnutrition and in-breeding in the circus. The seizures have already claimed her sisters Bimbi and Sombra who she lived with. She is medicated each day, Dr Caldwell continues to monitor and assess her treatment, and she is monitored in her main habitat with the ADIWS team on the alert for any problems. She lives alongside her boys Max and Stripes and they greet each other through the fence. The huge challenges she faces and the loss of her sisters has not broken the spirit of this warrior tigress and it is a joy to see her exploring and playing.
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His mane full of catnip and hay, Ruben sleeps next to one of the catnip punchbags he has shredded. Eventually, he destroyed it completely. It’s just over a week since the battered old warrior arrived at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary from Armenia. He has felt grass beneath his feet for the first time, the African sun on his back, heard the voices of his own kind for the first time in six years and roared back. After he stepped from his ADI travel crate he headed straight to the catnip bag and played – his first toy. He fell asleep with his prize. He is more playful than we could have imagined when we saw him in Armenia. He plays with pumpkins, catnip sacks and boxes. His movement has improved, and we have huge hopes over time. Keep dreaming Ruben, your dreams may come true.
To help care for Ruben: Donate UK £ | Donate US $
August was the month everything changed for lonely lion Ruben when he made his journey from Armenia home to Africa and a new life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. We have all marveled at the bravery of this battered old warrior, driving himself forward on his wobbly legs and playing with his toys.
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Our beloved Leo, rescued from a circus in Peru, is still going strong. Even at 20 years old, he still likes to walk around his Abbey Habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Here he is coming up to say hello – or maybe for a treat? His wish is our command. He is a king, after all, and as many of you have seen from our Facebook lives, he gets the royal treatment when it’s dinnertime to ensure he eats all his food.
Please support our elderly lion’s care so he can continue to enjoy his golden years. Adopt Leo US $ | Adopt Leo UK £
We did it!
Thanks to you, our fantastic supporters, Ruben is now safe in the land of his ancestors: Africa. As we watched Ruben take his first, magical steps onto South African soil on Friday morning, it made the trials and tribulations of the past 14 months worth it.
We were in Armenia for the countdown, finalizing his travel crate, and right up to take off we were facing obstruction, additional costs, and red tape.
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ADI Wildlife Sanctuary 