The changing climate is having a devasting impact on humans, our planet, and the animals who share it with us. Science tells us it is set to get much, much worse unless people take responsibility and change how we power the things we need. We can all play our part and help save the planet and the animals we love.

When we began building the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa, the land was barren from farming. We pledged to make it self-sustaining for all life, including the bees, insects, small wildlife, as well as our rescued residents. We would be part of the solution. The Sanctuary must always be there.

It was five years ago this week that we first began building the Sanctuary on a piece of blank land, made of two farms. Our first tasks were perimeter security fencing, animal habitat fencing, pumps to distribute the natural spring water to the habitats, and security cameras – all solar powered. We began to plant hundreds of trees, protected the flora and fauna, rewilding the land. The land has come to life, our native wild residents include fifty species of birds, rabbits, hares, mongooses, tortoises, turtles, antelope, jackals, caracal, snakes, fish, and amphibians on the lake.

Thanks to your amazing support we kept on pushing forward, building our place of loving kindness for rescued animals. Since then, we have provided a home for 52 lions and tigers, dozens of rescued tortoises, birds, antelope, donkeys, horses, pigs, a cow, goats, sheep, dogs, ducks, and geese! Everyone is welcome.

This year the ADIWS became fully solar powered when we increased power storage capacity to three huge batteries, meeting all our current operational needs – equipment, tools, freezers, lighting, heating, hot water, computers etc. No more daily power outages from South Africa’s national grid provider, Eskom, and clean sustainable energy. When we open to the public, we will purchase one more battery to provide the extra power needs for the visitors, volunteers, education centre and veterinary centre.

Now, with our own power supply and the new internal roads (built with recycled road materials) we can take another leap forward.

We hope to purchase four fully electric farm utility vehicles for daily resident care, maintenance, trees and environment work, so we can stop using expensive, fuel-hungry road vehicles for the on-site work. These UTVs are popular on farms in South Africa; with a range of 40km, top speed 30km/h, they can carry 400kg, and drive off-road.

Each will be fitted with a solar panel roof, so they are self-charging, but can be plugged into our solar power if a boost is needed.

Our sanctuary covers 455 acres, and our lion and tiger habitats range from 2.5 to 8 acres each, so we cover a lot of ground. These vehicles will increase operational efficiency – each team will have their own vehicle, they are quiet around the animals, can navigate habitats to make fencing and other repairs, distribute millings to repair roads – all while not polluting the environment and power is free!

In each of the past 3 years, we have had a significant wildfire approach our perimeter – thankfully these have all been stopped by our team. These vehicles will increase our coverage, capacity and reach – each vehicle can carry a 300L firefighter and team. We can be in four places at once.

We must raise the cost of all four vehicles $25,200 / £19,400 (cost per vehicle $6,300/£4,850). Can you help?

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This is a really, important project to keep our sanctuary moving forward and if we are more efficient and cut long term overheads, we can save more animals!