fundraiser

Help build a night house for lion couple saved from circus suffering

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Our ex-circus survivors had the worst possible start in life. Lions Tarzan and Tanya, like so many of them, endured years confined in a tiny circus cage in appalling conditions, lacking exercise, and malnourished. They were rescued by ADI from a Guatemalan circus, and they still bear the marks of their cruel past. Tarzan’s torn lower lip is from a fight with a tiger in the circus, and Tanya’s scars are from defending him. 

At the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, we pick up the pieces of our battered lions and tigers, many of whom deal with arthritis, spine problems, and other health issues. That’s why night houses attached to their main habitats have rooms for treatment and observation and provide a warm place to sleep – all essential to their health and wellbeing.

This GivingTuesday, November 30 – the world’s biggest day of generosity – can you donate to help build a night house for our devoted couple Tarzan and Tanya? They are currently in our introduction habitat and we want to move them to a new and bigger habitat. You can donate through our dedicated donate page (for the UK click here) or our GivingTuesday Facebook fundraiser. 

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Fighting fires keeping our animals safe

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Last month saw a surge in wildfires in our region, and the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary team raced out to help fight them.

The most serious incident occurred in early September, when at 11.30am on a Saturday morning, Trevor, ADIWS Head of Security and local FireWatch, alerted everyone: “Huge fire approaching from the north, being pushed by wind towards our district…. It’s about 45km away…. Ensure all firefighting equipment are in order and ready.”

Trevor headed to the frontline to join others fighting the fire and kept us updated.

As half the Sanctuary team filled our firefighters, the other half began luring our lion and tiger residents into their night houses and feeding camps (their places of safety) while soaking the grass around them. This is where we keep the grass cut short, surrounding our residents with fire breaks.

Meanwhile, the fire was blazing through part of a local nature reserve, with the wind driving it across roads; it kept moving, and fast. With the fire 20km from the Sanctuary, at 1.30pm, Trevor instructed the team: “As soon as it approaches we need to fight the fire before it reaches the perimeter fences… please just control emotions, we need to stay calm and focus.”

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Winter warmers for lions and tigers

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We are now in the middle of winter at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) in South Africa, the coldest time of year.  The coming weeks are expected to be particularly cold and the ADIWS team responded bringing in over 300 extra bales for added insulation.  We provide a home for lions and tigers rescued from a life of suffering and abuse around the world.  While they love basking in the sunshine and patrolling their habitats by day, the nights can be cold for these battered old warriors that have had the worst possible start in life. 

Some endured more than a decade confined in tiny circus cages, lacking exercise, lying in excrement and urine, and malnourished.  At ADIWS we pick up the pieces dealing with arthritis, spine problems and other health issues.  That’s why the houses attached to their main habitats have rooms for treatment and observation and to provide a warm place to sleep.  We have heated floors in three houses for senior lions – like Simba who was left with terrible arthritis after life in a circus in Peru.  Now we want to add heat lamps to more of the houses for our lions and tigers to keep them snug at night as they approach their senior years.

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Sombra relaxing in hospital after seizure scare

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The ADI Wildlife Sanctuary team leapt into action when Sombra appeared to have had a seizure.  Slightly unsteady on her feet she was enticed into a travel crate and our veterinarian Dr Caldwell, arranged an MRI to check her brain. GOOD NEWS: Sombra’s MRI is clear of seizure damage, but she has been put on seizure medication and will have to be monitored. 

THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF CIRCUS SUFFERING:  The poor circus diet fed to this tiger family lacked important vitamins – this, and inbreeding, resulted in poor development as cubs, so the nerves at the base of their skulls are restricted. This causes the seizures. Tragically, this led to dear Bimbi passing away. It’s a relief that Sombra’s MRI did not reveal the same level of damage as Bimbi. In daughters Jade and Luna, the problem shows in their unnatural gait on their front legs. 

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Help complete Itza’s tiger house for Father’s Day

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Help with the perfect Father’s Day gift for Itza. The rescued lions and tigers love their large natural habitats to explore, play in and disappear from sight. However, our lion and tiger houses provide more than a warm place to sleep, they enable us to hospitalise, monitor and treat sick animals, or to simply separate animals at feeding time.

Iron is currently test driving the rooms in his house and once we know everything is working perfectly, we will be moving in Bolillo to begin their reintroduction process with protected contact (Iron and Bolillo knew each other in the circus). The rooms are connected by mesh drop gates, there are chute feeders for safe feeding, water troughs, and access doors for cleaning.

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Help empty the cages with our new limited edition clothing!

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UPDATE: This campaign has ended. Watch this space for future limited-edition clothing!

We’ve launched a new range of t-shirts, tanks and sweatshirts (available only until August 18th) in a range of colors, featuring tiger Kumal rescued from a circus cage in Guatemala and lion David saved from a circus in Peru.  Both are now loving life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.

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#GivingTuesdayNOW – May 5: Help damaged animals at ADI Wildlife Sanctuary

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Donations for animal care have dropped because of the COVID-19 pandemic. WE NEED HELP NOW!

43 lions and tigers at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, were rescued from circuses in Peru, Colombia, and Guatemala – NOW THEY NEED US AGAIN!

On #GivingTuesdayNow – GLOBAL DAY OF GIVING on May 5 – we need to raise $12,500 / £10,000 for 1 month of food, medicines, and vitamin supplements for our ex-circus lions and tigers.

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Join us for an evening rescuing lions and tigers!

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Hear freedom roar at this special screening of the award-winning feel-good movie Lion Ark, which we have rescheduled for Monday, June 29th in Sonoma, California (Note: Date likely to change — watch this space for updates). A benefit for the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, watch the drama unfold with the rescue team leaders as ADI tracks down the circuses in Bolivia and RESCUES EVERY ANIMAL.

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