On the prize, Smith flies

Smith has faced several health challenges in recent years but you wouldn’t believe it when he caught sight of a Halloween pumpkin on one of his platforms at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary and launched himself at it.

This picture shows why enrichment is so important for captive animals, giving them different experiences and keeping them mentally and physically stimulated.

Ten years ago Smith was the most famous lion in the world after a clip went viral of him dragging an audience member around a circus ring in Peru. A particularly irresponsible circus act, in which Smith was meant to jump over a member of the audience, went wrong. As a result ADI rescued Smith and all of the other animals that remained in the circus.

Ten years on you can see just how powerful he is and just how stupid it was to put a member of the public in a circus ring with him!

Happy Halloween Smith.

Sanctuary team fights fire, and appeal for vehicles

This weekend, I hope you will help me raise enough to purchase the first two electric off-road vehicles for the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Thanks to our first appeal we are closer to the target, and great news is that one of our Sanctuary Founders has offered a $3,500 / £2,600 match fund. This means that donations this weekend will be doubled, and we can purchase our first two Blitz Cruisers!

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Kuwait 6 lionesses doing well after surgery

You’ll be pleased to know that Dhubiya and Aziza have fully recovered after their sterilisation operations last week. As well as preventing breeding this will also reduce risk of pyometra, a sudden and potentially life-threatening infection of the uterus, and certain cancers. This means the girls can live in family groups which include males. And sometimes, with the numbers and breakdown of males and females we rescue, this can be the difference whether they live a lifetime alone or enjoy the touch, communication, and companionship of another lion.

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