We are heartbroken to report the passing of a giant at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, Bumba, aged around 17 years. On Tuesday, after a loss of appetite and lethargy, Bumba was sedated by Dr Peter Caldwell and taken to hospital. Many of you following on our ‘live’ feeds on veterinary day, saw Dr Caldwell express concern about Bumba’s lungs. Sadly, after blood analysis, x-rays and ultrasounds, the worst was confirmed this morning. Bumba had multiple tumours and his condition would deteriorate rapidly and radically. We took the decision to let a grand old warrior go peacefully. Rescued from a circus in Colombia, he had enjoyed 9 years of love in ADI’s care, most of it home in Africa.
Continue readinglion
“Fabulous” – Ruben health update
“Fabulous” was Dr Peter Caldwell’s reaction to seeing Ruben during our veterinary day at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary yesterday (which many of you watched live on Facebook). Having examined Ruben the day after he arrived from Armenia (and reviewed videos since Ruben’s arrival), Dr Caldwell was pleased with his overall improvement in such a short space of time – can you believe it was 26 days ago he stepped out of his travel crate?
Continue readingEasy at sunset
Beautiful lioness Easy enjoying the African sunset in her Camo Habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. On this day nine years ago, Easy and the other eight lions ADI rescued from a circus in Bucaramanga, Colombia, were signed into our care. Among them was Bumba – he and Easy are the last surviving members of our Colombian pride.
Last week, 17-year-old Easy returned from the Old Chapel Veterinary Clinic after an extended stay. She is suffering from irritable bowel disease and has been prescribed various medications. Will you support Easy so she can continue to build her strength and enjoy her golden years? Click here to donate for Easy.
Send your love for Bumba
Magnificent Bumba is the last of the great pride of six boys rescued by ADI from a circus in Colombia nine years ago. Over time, his brothers have all passed, often due to cancer. So, when Bumba appeared lethargic this week and had less appetite, we alerted Dr Caldwell immediately, just to be on the safe side. Bumba will be heading to Dr Caldwell’s Old Chapel Veterinary Clinic on Tuesday where he will get a full older lion health examination. We are all really hoping for the best. Please think of Bumba and send him your love. Join us live at the ADIWS on Tuesday 19th, as we go live periodically throughout another Big Veterinary & Dental Day. There will be health checks, dental work, and Bumba will be loaded for hospital.
Ruben on the move
A life of severe confinement and poor nutrition has left Ruben with severe mobility problems. The 15-year old lion is being treated for spondylitis, inflammation of the spine and joints and may have other underlying issues. Before he left Armenia, he could barely take a couple of paces before his hind legs collapsed and he fell. However, thanks in a large part to this remarkable lion’s determination, since arriving at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary he has driven himself on and is walking further each day and doing better turning. This video, filmed in the last few days, shows that Ruben still has a long way to go, but the work improving the quality of his life is just beginning. Please note this is not a “Best of Ruben” video, the footage is selected to show supporters who are helping him the full range of his movement, the progress he is making, and the work still to do. This Kunduchi punchbag is pretty heavy, but Ruben carries it off with ease!
Continue readingRe-live Ruben’s journey home
Re-live those magical moments when Ruben flew from Armenia and stepped out onto grass and his African homeland at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary for the first time. The video from Qatar Airways Cargo – who made his journey to a new life possible – contains previously unseen footage from behind the scenes of the journey and of Ruben’s first day at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Enjoy Ruben’s blissful face as catnip swirls around him, note the donkeys making an appearance behind Tim, and for ADI supporters, smile as Tanya tells the person filming to stop looking at her Tarzan! With huge thanks to Qatar Airways Cargo who specially scheduled a large aircraft to take Ruben from Armenia.
To support Ruben: Donate US $ | Donate UK £
Ruben goes wild
Ruben goes wild with his first catnip bag! We wondered what Ruben would do as he took his first steps on African soil. It turned out he just wanted to play, and play, and play.
Six years of emptiness and loneliness ended as he walked to his giant catnip punchbag. Now, he has the company of his own kind living nearby, he walks on grass, bakes himself under the African sun in his Keith’s Happiness Habitat. And he is not afraid to show his inner kitten!
Continue readingRuben Rugby World Cup ready
Ruben looks ready to join defending champions South Africa as the tournament kicks off in France. After shredding his giant Kunduchi Pet Products punchbags, today we gave him this ‘rugby ball’ and he proudly strode around his camp with it at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa.
Ruben recently arrived from a zoo in Armenia, where he was alone in a tiny cage and developed difficulty walking due to poor care and nutrition. He has stunned people with his determination to stay on his feet and keep moving, and is now able to do a full circuit of his camp without falling. Enrichment like his ‘rugby ball’ is a vital part of his rehabilitation. It’s also essential for all of the 32 rescued lions and tigers at the sanctuary. You can help by donating toward more enrichment. Donate US $ | Donate UK £
Ruben rescue turns spotlight on lonely captive animals
The story of our rescue of Ruben the lion from Armenia – dubbed “the loneliest lion in the world” – exploded worldwide, with coverage in the US, UK, South Africa, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Montenegro, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
Ruben’s suffering and the rescue has touched the hearts of millions, and importantly, we got into the headlines the suffering of isolation and impacts on the health of captive animals.
Continue readingDream, Ruben, Dream
His mane full of catnip and hay, Ruben sleeps next to one of the catnip punchbags he has shredded. Eventually, he destroyed it completely. It’s just over a week since the battered old warrior arrived at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary from Armenia. He has felt grass beneath his feet for the first time, the African sun on his back, heard the voices of his own kind for the first time in six years and roared back. After he stepped from his ADI travel crate he headed straight to the catnip bag and played – his first toy. He fell asleep with his prize. He is more playful than we could have imagined when we saw him in Armenia. He plays with pumpkins, catnip sacks and boxes. His movement has improved, and we have huge hopes over time. Keep dreaming Ruben, your dreams may come true.
To help care for Ruben: Donate UK £ | Donate US $
ADI Wildlife Sanctuary 