Monday yawning with Luna

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It hardly seems fair, you’re back at work and Luna is lounging in the pool and then gives one of those great big yawns that only big cats can do! She doesn’t quite match just how wide Kesari managed to get his mouth last Monday. Let us know if looking at this makes you stifle a yawn or maybe wish you were in the pool or back in bed!

Luna lives with sisters Jade, Sun and Moon at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa after they were rescued together from a circus in Guatemala.

PS: If you think Luna is a feeling and sentient animal – and we think it’s pretty obvious she is – and you’re in the UK, then please ask your MP TODAY to support the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill at its Report stage on 14 March:

Lion introduction work continues

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Easy gets a squirt in the nose which could bring companionship. As part of the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary lion introduction work (bringing together animals currently living alone), Jessica Burkhart from the University of Minnesota, is using a nasal spray of a natural hormone, oxytocin, often called the “love hormone”. This hormone is involved in childbirth, breast-feeding and is associated with feelings of empathy, trust and relationship-building – is released when lions rub heads, for example. This treatment enhances natural hormones, and has already had success in lion, tiger and cheetah introductions. The process increases the likelihood of animals making new friends – although it can’t make animals who do not like each other, get along.

Over the past weeks, David and Easy have been getting treats and enrichment from Jessica, and the lions seem to barely notice the squirt up their nose while they are distracted with a treat. Easy lost her sister Shakira (who was rescued from the same circus in Colombia) and we are in the process of her being united with David (who was rescued from a circus in Peru). We are also hoping to join up Rolex and sisters Kiara and Africa, and Bumba with Iron, as they both lost their friends. We are calling the project Operation Lonely Hearts! To avoid confusion – this is not a drug and is not related in any way to drugs with “oxy” in the name!

Tarzan & Tanya head to the dentist

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Sanctuary sweethearts Tarzan and Tanya, the lions ADI rescued from a circus in Guatemala, have won everyone’s hearts by their devotion to each other, but now they need dental work. Tooth damage is one of the most common problems we face when rescuing lions and tigers from circuses. When we took Tarzan from the circus in 2018, he was in pain, and both he and Tanya needed immediate attention in our Temporary Rescue Unit field hospital. Dental surgery transformed Tarzan.

At the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa we are therefore always on the alert for any problems with eating, in case it is problems with their teeth. Dr Peter Caldwell examined them both and they have been taken to his hospital to for dental work.

Obviously, if Tanya or Tarzan must go to hospital, they must go together! We will report back when they have seen the dentist, but for now, they are right next to each other and enjoying all the attention.

Kesari doesn’t mind Mondays

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If you’re at work and stifling a yawn, look away now…. these pics won’t help. Big Kesari greets the morning with a great big yawn!

Kesari is always up early at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, to join Chino, Coco, Simba and Rey roaring in the new day at sunrise. Then it’s up the hill to see if he can see the truck being loaded for breakfast. We hope your week is off to as relaxing a start as Kesari’s…..

Pictures of life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary

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In August 2018, ADI purchased 455-acres of land in South Africa and began turning it into a sanctuary with large natural habitats. It is now home to lions and tigers rescued as ADI emptied circuses in Peru, Colombia and Guatemala (and one huge lion, Kesari, who we ensured dodged a hunter’s bullet). We think these pictures of our residents taken in the past few weeks best sum up the world we have created for these survivors. Our mission is to keep emptying the cages and to give these animals a life as close to what nature intended.

Look at Mahla now

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This is how you expect to see a lioness in Africa, but Mahla’s story began very differently. She was born in a tiny circus cage in Peru and dragged from her mother (even as she suckled) to be passed around for petting and photos. Thankfully, Peru did the right thing and banned wild animals in circuses. In an almost 2-year mission, ADI raided every circus in Peru and saved every animal, bringing Mahla and 32 other lions home to Africa. Today, Mahla lives with her mother (Kiara1), brother (Scarc) and aunt (Amazonas) at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. Our aim is to give our rescued animals back their dignity and a life as close as possible to what nature intended.

There are no longer any wild animals in circuses in Peru – please help ADI keep changing the world for animals like Mahla and securing laws to protect future generations of animals.

We hope that your weekend will be as relaxing as Mahla’s.

Adopt Mahla

Tree planting at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary

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When we purchased the 455 acres of land for the sanctuary in South Africa, much of it was denuded by agriculture and grazed out. As well as building the habitats for our rescued lions and tigers, we have been steadily re-wilding the land, seeing an explosion in wildflowers, wildlife, birds, insects and this week we are planting 24 more large trees thanks to the generous support of Trees for Tigers USA run by ADIWS founders, Tom and Carolyn Long. Trees for Tigers USA have the great mission of providing trees and enrichment for sanctuaries and have previously purchased numerous trees for ADIWS and the materials for many of our platforms.

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Rey enjoys his watermelon enrichment

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“MINE, ALL MINE!” You really wouldn’t want to try and get this watermelon out of Rey’s protective paws once he has started playing with it. Rey was rescued from a circus in Peru and now lives at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary where the rescued lions and tigers enjoy a range of toys for enrichment including melons, pumpkins, catnip boxes and balls. ReyC and his brother Smith have a habitat of over 6 acres of natural African landscape to roam – a very different world to the small bare circus cage we rescued them from. However, our enrichment and toys are still vital for keeping the lions and tigers in our care physically and mentally active. Enrichment is an important addition to giving the animals the space they need to express themselves and we think you can tell what Rey’s prize means to him in these pictures!

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Sun in the morning

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Sun is now all grown up from that tiny cub with great big paws that ADI rescued from that bare circus cage in Guatemala. Sun and her sister Moon were just six months old when we rescued them. In our Temporary Rescue Unit in Guatemala, Luna and Jade seemed to tower over them. But with good nutrition from ADI and supplements, Sun and Moon have both outgrown their sisters from another litter, Jade and Luna, who were 18 months old when we rescued them. The four share the same habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. Coincidentally, one sister from each pair is outgoing, Sun and Jade and the other is quite shy, Moon and Luna, but they all adore each other and are led into fun and mischief by Jade. When you walk by their habitat, you can be sure Jade or Sun will come over to check you out – just like Sun did when we snapped this pic!

Adopt Sun