Max and Stripes are the youngest big cat residents at ADIWS. We first encountered them in Circus Ponce as tiny, weeks-old, blue-eyed cubs and finally seized them at six months old from a junkyard on the outskirts of Guatemala City. Sadly, one cub had already died, but Max and Stripes survived. Incredibly, this month they are five years old!
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Lioness Sasha makes the most of her new A frame at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. She has been spending most of her time relaxing and napping inside, as it provides just the right amount of shade while allowing her to see through.
It’s wonderful to see her comfortable and at peace – such a difference from her life in a Guatemalan circus, before ADI rescued her. A brutal declawing operation in the circus led to an infection that turned into cancer and spread to her leg. Thanks to groundbreaking surgery by Dr Caldwell, Sasha now has a titanium implant where the diseased bone once was. Nothing can get Sasha down now. She is living her best life.
To donate towards one (or more) A frames for the rest of our residents to enjoy (it costs UK £53 / US $66 / R1,200 each): Donate UK £ | Donate US $
After a long hospital stay to identify Smith’s gastric issues, vet Dr Peter Caldwell found it was being caused by a permanent heart condition, meaning lifetime medication. Smith has restrictive cardiomyopathy which has caused scarring and damage to the heart. So far, he has responded well to medication and all of the fluid is now out of his abdomen.
Continue readingOur play station was created for Sasha Lioness to exercise her titanium leg. When she finished playing with it, we decided to give other animals in the sanctuary a turn. We even went live with the Cusco Pride playing with it – links in comments 
). As well as catnip, the scents of the other animals are building up. This week the play station looked pretty small next to gentle giant Kesari! He began dismantling it. Like Mahla he tore off the green ball and ran off with it – he even tore away the wooden support it was attached to! It’ll need a few repairs before heading to the next habitat.
Watch this space for a special video of all the different reactions to the play station.
Tarzan and Tanya bask in the sun’s last rays at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. As well as seeing two lions who escaped the misery of a circus in Guatemala to come home to their natural world in Africa, we are also seeing the greatest energy asset of the ADIWS go down for the day. This year, ADI is increasing its commitment to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change by making the entire sanctuary solar powered. Please support this and watch out for updates.
When it’s time for feeding and medications at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, Resident Care Manager Johannes begins calling Leo. The grand old lion is usually nowhere to be seen and it can sometimes take a while to rouse the 20 year old lion from his slumber. But eventually, his huge head appears above the grass, he strolls towards Johannes, and they walk the 200m or so together to Leo’s house. These days Leo has his own feeding routine to ensure he eats all of his food (it was identified he was getting distracted and not eating everything). He first gets his meds in small pieces of meat, fed with tongs, then the team continue to feed the entire meal. Yes, our most senior resident is hand fed – he is a king after all!
At the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, our residents enjoy freedom of choice. Here, ReyA opts to soak up some sun, while Simba chooses to snooze in the shade. The brothers were rescued by ADI from a circus in Peru, where they were confined to a tiny cage.
These A frames have been a big hit among our rescued lions and tigers who have received them so far (we hope to make more for all our residents). Lately, ReyA and Simba spend all day every day sleeping or relaxing in them – they can enjoy the shade while still seeing through them.
To help us build more for the rest of our big cats (UK £53 / US $66 / R1,200 each): Donate UK £ | Donate US $
Last year we asked for your help as many of the dirt roads around the sanctuary became impassable during rainy season. We feared it would reach crisis point if we were unable to move a sick animal. Two miles of roads were levelled, compacted and finally surfaced with recycled road surface, which gradually becomes more solid with use. Our roads have made every aspect of the sanctuary more efficient, giving us more time to do more time for the animals and keeping them safer. THANK YOU.
Special thanks who sponsored and named roads, with many dedicated in memory of loved ones (there are still roads that can be sponsored and named – click here for more information):
Continue readingA 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.
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)
ADI Wildlife Sanctuary 