lioness

The face of resilience

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Kiara, the matriarch of the Cusco pride, has endured a lot. These days, she enjoys a peaceful life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa.

In 2014, her family was torn apart by a circus in Peru who used her cubs as photo props. In two raids, ADI saved the animals and in an unforgettable moment, reunited Kiara with her cubs Scarc and Mahla.

Now Kiara is happy and content in Tohir Habitat, which she shares with her now grown kids.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Will you support the care of Kiara, who is now 16 years old, and help her continue to enjoy many blissful years with her family? Donate here

Shop Mother’s Day gifts, which help support the care of Kiara and her family.

Africa and Kiara love their A-frame

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These beautiful girls, Africa and Kiara, love snoozing in their A-frame shelter at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. They were rescued from a tiny circus cage in the middle of the desert in Peru during ADI’s Operation Spirit of Freedom. They are celebrating 10 years of freedom this year. The A-frames are a big hit with these inseparable sisters, giving them shade in the Davis Habitat while still allowing them to see what’s going on in the world around them.

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Mighty Mahla

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It will be ten years ago this year that the two ADI raids on the same grim circus in Cusco, Peru, reunited Kiara with her cubs Mahla and Scarc. Those cubs grew into full grown lions several years ago and just look at Mahla at play now in the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS), South Africa! Mahla’s strength and agility remind us that the lionesses are the hunters of the pride in the wild, providing the food for the family. Young Dhubiya, of the #Kuwait6 – six young lions rescued from Kuwait’s illegal pet lion trade that we hope will be arriving at the ADIWS in May – reminds us of a young Mahla. We can’t wait to see her getting to grips with some of the toys at ADIWS.

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Great news: She’s coming home!

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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.

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This is the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary

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Seeing Kiara (left) and Africa sitting in the shade from the South African summer surrounded by lush grass and flowers, it’s hard to believe they were rescued from a tiny circus cage in the middle of the desert in Peru. The circus holding Africa, Kiara and their mother, Muñeca, had evaded ADI for months until we tracked them down in northern Peru near the border with Ecuador. The circus made a run for it and a dramatic chase ensued with the rescue almost thwarted when a herd of goats blocked the ADI team vehicles from crossing a bridge. But the circus was finally cornered in a small village and the three lionesses and two capuchin monkeys were rescued.

The monkeys went to an Amazon forest sanctuary in ADI care, Muñeca enjoyed many years reunited with Leo, and Africa and Kiara enjoy the 5-acre Davis Habitat you see stretching out behind them (Dad Leo is their neighbor).

Tanya nose dives into a bag of catnip

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Tiny but fierce Tanya investigates her new catnip bag. Thanks to the empty coffee bags donated by Highland Coffee Roastery, the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary team are making up lots of treats for the lions and tigers. To help bring extra joy in the New Year for the big cats, you can still donate pumpkin treats and part of it will also go towards a day’s care for a lion or tiger. Donate here

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Mahla the footballer

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Fun-loving Mahla is a kitten at heart, seizing any opportunity to play in her Tohir Habitat. Here she shows the Robust-A-Ball who’s boss. She was rescued as a cub from a circus in Peru, along with her family. Confined to her circus cage, she had no opportunity to exercise and play, let alone stretch. At the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa, she enjoys an array of enrichment, and space to run and play, but importantly, freedom of choice.

Help keep the fun going by donating toward more enrichment for Mahla and her family. Donate here.

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