Two of the mightiest lions at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary bask in the light of another sunset in South Africa in their 6+ acre habitat. Smith is a huge, castrated male it’s a close call as to who is the biggest lion at the sanctuary between him and Kesari. It was campaigners with hidden cameras, leaflets and placards that transformed their lives.
Continue readinganimal rescue
Rescue documentary Lion Ark – now available to stream
ADI’s Lion Ark movie is streaming on EarthStream for the first time, and available on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku. Every subscription helps raise funds for our rescued animals at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.
Lion Ark is a feel-good, empowering story of the most ambitious and daring animal rescue of its kind. ADI secured a ban on animal circuses in Bolivia following a two-year undercover investigation across South America. Then the law had to be enforced. Across vast, hostile terrains the illegal circuses were tracked down, the animals saved, brought to safety, and reached a joyous finale as 25 lions are airlifted to freedom in the US.
With no facilities for many of the banned circus animals in Bolivia, ADI undertook an unprecedented operation, setting up a temporary rescue unit to receive animals, raiding every circus, and emptying every cage. ADI rescued and relocated 29 lions and rehomed monkeys and other animals in Bolivia. The success of Operation Lion Ark and its popularity triggered animal circus bans throughout Latin America and beyond. Since then, ADI has carried out similar missions in Colombia, Peru (rescuing over 100 animals and flying 33 lions to South Africa), and Guatemala (relocating over 20 lions and tigers to the US and South Africa). The ADI Wildlife Sanctuary is built for our circus survivors and others.
Continue readingTwo years on: the Guatemala lions and tigers in Africa
Were you watching as the lions and tigers rescued from circuses in Guatemala crossed the globe, stopping in Mexico, Belgium and Qatar on their way to a new life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa? The flight of the 17 lions and tigers marked the end of a very tough 18-month enforcement operation of Guatemala’s ban on animal circuses. Fast forward two years, here they are now, at ADIWS this week.
Their lives changed under ADI care – from the day we removed them from the circus cages and put them in our Temporary Rescue Unit, they got to run and play on grass for the first time ever, and nobody can forget how the tigers splashed around in their first pools!
Continue readingHomecoming
Five lions and 12 tigers, rescued from Guatemala circuses, make a great escape to freedom at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. The animals were rescued during ADI’s 18-month operation to help enforce Guatemala’s ban on animals in circuses. Then, officials warned ADI to leave the country with the animals by 21 January or risk losing them. Organizing a flight like this normally takes weeks, but ADI was racing against time as flight after flight was blocked due to landing and security restrictions on flights from Guatemala. With just days to spare, ADI secured an escape route through Mexico, Belgium, and Qatar.
Continue readingReuniting the Guatemala animals
It seems hard to believe that only last week our rescued Guatemala animals arrived at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa! The last ten days have been a whirl of activity, settling in the animals, letting them become familiar with their new surroundings, and most importantly, reuniting them with their family.
Continue readingGuatemala animals home at last
In the late afternoon of Tuesday, January 21, the remaining 12 tigers and 5 lions rescued from circuses in Guatemala arrived at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.
Continue readingOperation Liberty Flight: Updates on the Journey Home
In the early hours of Sunday morning, January 19, the 17 lions and tigers rescued from circuses in Guatemala were loaded onto trucks that would take them to the airport. It marked the beginning of a journey of a lifetime to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa, their forever home.
Continue readingHome for the Holidays Fundraiser
Following our Home for the Holidays US fundraiser on December 8th and online appeals, we have hit our target to build the travel crates for the 17 lions and tigers rescued from circuses in Guatemala during ADI Operation Liberty and who will be coming home to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary soon!
Continue readingHelp animals as you shop!
Every holiday purchase from the ADI online store helps support the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary and our life-saving work for animals around the world.
Continue readingKesari is home – just in time for his birthday!
Homeless Kesari is now a resident of the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.
The operation at Pretoria Zoo began at 5:30am and some of you joined us in the early hours/late at night on Facebook Live, as Kesari was loaded into his travel crate ready for the journey to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS).
ADI Wildlife Sanctuary 