Leo at 21 years old, although you wouldn’t think it from this angle, looks strong and mighty as he looks out over Abbey Habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Our most senior lion, rescued from a circus in Peru a decade ago, still has a zest for life, relishing every moment of his golden years.

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MORNING ALL! Leo, father of the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary pride, is up and about early in the morning sunshine. On these South African summer days the lions and tigers at ADIWS are up and about early, usually starting the roaring chorus at 5am and getting active before sheltering for the hottest part of the day then getting active again in the afternoon and evening. Despite his senior years, the old lion rescued from a circus in Peru a decade ago and now 21 years old, follows a similar ritual, pottering about in the cool morning before settling under one of the trees in Abbey Habitat to sleep – often very heavily to the occasional consternation of the ADIWS Resident Care Team trying to call him for dinner!
Have a great week.

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Here is Leo, our oldest ADIWS resident, enjoying sitting in the shade among the summer flowers yesterday. Leo was rescued during ADI’s Operation Spirit of Freedom which emptied Peru’s circuses, and we know is, at least, 21 years old. We rescued him ten years ago this year, and at that time, we believe Leo could have been 13 or 14 years old. Leo is father of many of the Peru ex-circus lions – certainly Kiara, Africa, Rolex, Chino and Coco, and possibly Rey and Kiara2 as well!

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The sun is up and elderly Leo greets the day. Officially Leo is 21 years old in January, although many of us suspect he was much older than eleven when ADI rescued him from a circus in Peru. However old he is, he is the father of our pride and the most senior lion at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. These days, Leo is showing his age and like many elderly cats getting thinner, so each day the ADIWS team hand feed him with tongs to ensure he gets all of his food, medications and supplements. He sleeps nesting in hay in his house or one of his platform dens – note the bits of hay in his mane in this picture – and in the mornings potters out into the 3.75 acre (152,460sqft) Abbey Habitat. He’s currently enjoying the warm Spring weather and sunshine and usually settles by or under the trees but is still found occasionally at the far end of the habitat. We’ve added extra water points to the habitat so that he always has water nearby and if we see a big rain storm coming we will bring Leo inside to keep him dry. It’s all a long, long way from that small, bare circus cage he once lived in. Welcome to another day in paradise Leo.

Our old warrior, Leo, rescued from a circus in Peru, enjoys some sunshine at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. Leo seems to have coped well with the sad passing of his lifelong companion Muñeca. But at 20 years old (at least) dear Leo is slowing down and starting to show his age. That doesn’t stop him exploring the whole of the almost 4-acre Abbey Habitat. We recently added a new platform den (with wood supplied by Trees for Tigers) so that Leo could easily find shelter when exploring the south end of the habitat. Here’s to many more years in the sunshine for our most senior lion.

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Simba is one of the senior residents at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. He’s a bit wobbly on his feet these days and is treated for arthritis in his hind legs but there’s no doubt he still looks magnificent. His arthritis is a result of his early years in a cramped circus cage in Peru before ADI rescued him and his constant companion Rey. Earlier this year we added extra steps to his platform to help him up and down after a hospital visit when his arthritis seemed to be catching up. Simba ignored them, leaping up and down as he’d always done – that’s his choice! An old warrior living with dignity, home in Africa, in Guibord-Sprague Habitat at the ADIWS.