sisters

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).

Inseparable Africa and Kiara

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It’s sundown at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa and lionesses Kiara and Africa are inseparable as they patrol the 5-acre Davis Habitat in the fading light. Occasionally pausing to play or to chase after a mongoose or ground squirrel before it disappears underground, they check out their territory.
It’s almost ten years since ADI rescued Africa and Kiara from a tiny, circus cage in the desert region of Peru.

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Jade the top cat

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Jade is the smallest of the tigers at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, and she’s one of the naughtiest! But she’s beloved by her sisters who she regularly leads into mischief. Distinct because of the tail she lost in the circus, Jade leads the gang into demolition romps.

When ADI rescued sisters Luna and Jade from a circus in Guatemala, they towered over their sisters from another litter, cubs Sun and Moon (rescued at 6 months old). Now, with the benefit of good nutrition and supplements from a much younger age, Sun and Moon tower over Luna and Jade. The girls are all very affectionate towards each other and we sense that Sun and Moon still defer to their older, if smaller sisters, Luna and Jade.

That poor diet early in life has left Jade and Luna with malformation of the connection between skull and spine, leading to a straight-leg, goose-stepping type walk. They receive extra vitamin supplements, especially vitamin A, which has helped relieve the problem. This is a variation of the same problem in the mothers in the family, Lupe, Bimbi and Sombra, caused by inadequate food in their circus life (in addition to the problems caused by in-breeding).

Click here to find out more about the animals at ADIWS, and how to adopt the animals.