Meet the newest arrivals to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. When the SPCA found three horses hobbled and in poor condition in a street in a South African township, they asked if ADI would help. Of course we, said “yes” and started work on a paddock to receive the animals, which will eventually be free-ranging on the 455 acre sanctuary. Meanwhile another horse, called Sammy, was rescued and was forming a bond with the family of horses. Watch and see what happened next….
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Dhubiya is counting down to lift off
In 8 days, playful Dhubiya, a young lioness discarded by the cruel and illegal trade in pet lions, will be heading to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa.
In a blow against the keeping of big cats as status symbol pets, six lions (Dhubiya, Saif, Muheeb, Aziza, Shujaa and Saham) will be taking off for Africa on May 19, and will reach the sanctuary on Monday, 20th. The #Kuwait6 were rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade after being either abandoned, surrendered, or confiscated. The animals are being cared for by volunteers and staff at Kuwait Zoo and are working with ADI to give them a new life.
Continue readingSaif is counting down to his homecoming – May 20
We can’t wait to see Saif, the youngest of the Kuwait 6 lions, run in the wide-open space at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. He will certainly catch the attention of his soon-to-be neighbors Simba and Rey and Max and Stripes. Ruben will be watching over them.
Saif and the other five lions – Dhubiya, Muheeb, Saham, Shujaa, and Aziza – were rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade in the Middle East – a trade fueled by people seeking a status symbol. Although they have an outside run in the Kuwait zoo, where they are being cared for until we can relocate them, they will love the natural, wild space in their new home.
Continue readingIt is now the Kuwait 6!
After shy, 18-month-old Aziza joined the passenger list for the flight to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, we are six! The six young lions – Saif, Dhubiya, Muheeb, Saham, Shujaa, and Aziza – have all been rescued from the illegal wildlife pet trade in the Middle East.
Continue readingGreat news: She’s coming home!
Meet beautiful, shy, lioness Aziza, who has just hitched a ride on an ADI flight to freedom with five other lions from Kuwait.
When Jan and Tim visited Kuwait to begin preparations for the relocation of five young lions rescued from the illegal pet trade to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa, they learned of another lioness, Aziza. As always, we could not leave anyone behind. Of course, she had to come.
Continue readingMeet Saif
Little Saif (pronounced “safe”) is the youngest of the Kuwait group of illegal pet trade survivors in Kuwait who are waiting to be relocated to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. He’s not quite as lively as his slightly older companion, Dhubiya, but also playful, friendly, and inquisitive. He is going to love the smells, sights and sounds at ADIWS and the whole range of enrichment. He could have more than 20 years ahead of him in our care, enjoying the kind of habitat that nature intended. His life as a pet with humans, and his abandonment, becoming a very distant memory.
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Kuwait rescue update
The travel crates to bring the Kuwait lions home to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary were delivered to Johannesburg Airport today (see Facebook live). Five lions. Saif (pictured), Dhubiya, Muheeb, Saham and Shujja, from Kuwait’s illegal pet trade are coming to the Sanctuary and we are trying to include the rescue of a sixth, who just arrived.
At the ADIWS, we re-purposed old crates, cutting them down, repainting and turning them into flat packed crates. On Sunday they were loaded onto a truck and at 5am this morning, headed to the airport. They will begin their journey to Kuwait on Wednesday, arriving at the weekend. The next time we see them in South Africa, they will have young lions inside.
Continue readingMeet Muheeb
Muheeb is the oldest of the Kuwait5, a young 4-year-old male. A very handsome lion, we were told “His name means scary.” “Is he?” we asked. “He really isn’t,” said his carer, with a smile. He seems to have a very calm and gentle personality, and immediately came and sat beside Jan. We hope that at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, we will not only be able to give him a wonderful huge habitat, but companionship of his own kind. He will be in a single habitat at first, but is very young, and hopefully, over time, we can get him together with another rescued lion.
Our thanks to the volunteers in Kuwait and staff at Kuwait zoo, who have ensured the animals are content and cared for, until we can relocate them to their new lives.
Click here to donate towards the relocation of the lions.
Continue readingWorking to bring the Kuwait 5 home
Thank you to everyone who has been supporting and sharing our appeals. In Kuwait and South Africa, we are working as quickly as possible through the legal requirements and import processes to bring Muheeb, Saif, Dhubiya, Saham, and Shujaa to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.
The ADIWS team has re-purposed old travel crates from the Guatemala rescue. They are now flat-packed and can be re-assembled in Kuwait. Qatar Airways has again come to our aid with their WeQare scheme to move the lions free of charge – including a sixth lioness we are hoping we can add to the rescue. We are sending a travel crate for her just in case.
Continue readingWelcoming rescued geese and more tortoises
Harold, an Egyptian Goose, and two, as yet, unnamed Pomeranian Geese have joined us from the local SPCA. We’ve also recently released four more tortoises, rescued by SPCA, on our Sanctuary grounds.
Harold possibly thinks he is a dog and has made great friends with Rollo and Milo, going for walks with them (he will fly to catch up if left behind, swooping around the sanctuary) and spends afternoons grooming Rollo plucking out beak fulls of fur.
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