At the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS), our pride and joy are the huge natural habitats where our rescued lions and tigers can run free and express themselves – there’s no sight in the world quite like seeing a lion or tiger run full speed across acres of space. Sheer joy for life!
Equally important, though, is the infrastructure that makes our Sanctuary tick, which nourishes and protects our residents – internal roads, solar power pumping water, solar fencing for protection, vehicles for animal care, etc., all are investments in the future for saving more animals.
This Giving Tuesday, we need your help to raise $75,600 (£60,000) for an unusual development – one of our most important projects to date.
Our remote location provides a paradise for animals, and benefits from natural spring-fed boreholes for drinking. However, it also means we must ensure we (a) recycle ‘grey’ water (from showers, washing machines, etc.), to re-use it for watering trees, washing cars, etc., and (b) dispose of our waste into a natural, healthy, septic tank system. This is critical to how many animals we can rescue and maintain in future.
With your help we will install state-of-the-art ‘grey’ water recycling, along with a modern sewage and septic tank system, provision of hygienic public facilities which meet public health standards, so we can welcome groups of schoolchildren and other visitors.
What we will do:
Waste from toilets (black water) will be processed through five new septic tanks (a natural disposal process).
The new sewage system includes separate ‘fat traps’ for residents’ food preparation areas.
‘Grey’ water from washing, showers, sinks, etc., will be filtered in four water recycling station, and recycled water will be used to flush toilets, water trees, clean vehicles, fight fires, etc.
This system will conserve use of spring water, protect our environment and give us long-term water security, allowing us to save more animals.
We must raise $125,600 (£100,000) for this huge project – can you help? But you may ask, why is our target only $75,600 (£60,000) this week?
THE GREAT NEWS: Big Cat Rescue has offered a $50,000 (£40,000) MATCHING GRANT for this project. So, every donation up to $50,000 (£40,000) will be DOUBLED – $10 becomes $20, $100 becomes $200, $1,000 becomes $2,000 ….
Every contribution will make a difference – even the cost of a cup of coffee will add up quickly, thanks to this match fund. We cannot hit our target and secure the match fund without your help.
We know our ADI supporters appreciate the practicalities of rescuing and saving animals, the facilities, security, and meeting their needs. That’s why this Giving Tuesday we are talking sewers, water recycling, plumbing, knowing you completely understand what it takes to give a new life to animals in need and keep them well, safe, and happy for years to come.
I cannot stress enough, how important this project is to every facet of the Sanctuary, from animal care to our educational and campaigning work – please help in any way you can.
Another busy month has gone by, with one highlight at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary being Halloween! Thanks to our wonderful help of supporters like you, our residents had treats a-plenty to get stuck into – including Muheeb, below.
Also, in case you missed The Dodo‘s video about Muheeb’s rescue, you can watch here, how Muheeb was an illegal pet abandoned in Kuwait City but saved and brought to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary – it has been viewed 9.1 million times.
VICTORY FOR THE ANIMALS: Romania’s parliament has voted to ban fur farming from 2027, closing the last of the farms breeding and killing minks and chinchillas. ADI investigations in fur farms around the world have exposed horrific suffering and brutal killing methods, but country after country is now ending the suffering
It’s time the US caught up, please urge your members of Congress to support the Mink VIRUS Act (HR3783) the federal bill to phase out mink farming and protect public health.
ADI joined forces with 80 animal protection organisations and elephant experts calling for a halt to wildlife culls in Southern Africa. The Namibia and Zimbabwe Governments have announced large culls, including elephants, to ease ‘food insecurity’. Conservation experts have advised governments to focus on regenerative crop farming, rather than the short term slaughter of their countries’ wildlife assets. Sign the petition here.
We had a scare recently with tigress Lupe, who had another seizure. Dr Caldwell has reviewed her medication, and she was back to her old self in time for Halloween! Tragically, malnutrition, in-breeding and severe confinement in the circus in Guatemala has left the older family members with health issues. It is heart breaking that even after they are rescued, their past follows them. Fortunately, Lupe’s sons Max and Stripes were rescued at just 6 months old, and the better nutrition and welfare appears to have saved them from the same issues, they are much larger and hopefully will remain healthier than their parents.
Fireworks continue to cause companion animals, livestock and wildlife distress, injuries, even death. They also release toxic chemicals, and contribute to air pollution. It’s time for a change, to end the overuse of fireworks by limiting their sale to organised public displays as well as low noise/low-impact fireworks or alternatives such as laser light shows. ADI is contacting retailers to commit to only selling low impact fireworks. Read more here.
A new member of the ADIWS family, Freya was found in a sewer, stinking, dirty and in terrible condition. The SPCA asked if we could help, and how could we say “no” to that face? Two years old, she appears to have been a stray for her whole life. She spends her days racing around the garden at Chris Lee Lodge (our upcoming visitor/volunteer housing) before collapsing at night on the bed of one of our team. She has already made friends with Rollo and Milo, and we anticipate much high spirited mischief.
UZBEKISTAN BANS PRIVATE OWNERSHIP WILD ANIMALS, AND ALSO THEIR USE IN CIRCUSES. Coming in to force on January 1, 2025, the new law prohibits private citizens from keeping certain wild animals, including lions, tigers, leopards, bears, chimpanzees, wolves, turtles, spiders, snakes and more, and bans their use for entertainment in public and travelling circuses. All wild animals currently in private or circus ownership must be transferred to licensed zoos or wildlife sanctuaries with government permits before January 1, 2026.
A new TB eradication strategy has been launched by the UK government in a move towards ending the badger cull. Plans include boosting cattle testing, reducing the spread of TB through managing cattle movements, and deploying badger vaccinations. A new population survey will also be carried out this winter. However, the killing will continue as new measures are rolled out. KEEP UP THE PRESSURE. Please take action here to help put a stop to the killing.
California has followed Washington State, prohibiting octopus farming and sale of commercially farmed octopuses. These highly intelligent, communicative animals suffer greatly when confined in stressful, intensive, unnatural conditions. The Governor of California signed the Oppose Cruelty to Octopuses Act – a huge step forward. ADI celebrates this great news, and we hope more states follow suit.
In the US, please urge your Senators to support the Opposing the Cultivation and Trade of Octopus Produced through Unethical Strategies (OCTOPUS) Act, to ban commercial octopus farming in the US and prohibit imports of farmed octopus from abroad.
Forty-three young female rhesus macaques recently escaped from a research facility in South Carolina, after a worker failed to secure doors during routine cleaning and feeding. After a few days in nearby woods, the majority of the monkeys have been recaptured. ADI urged Alpha Genesis to show mercy and let the monkeys live out their lives in a sanctuary. Please join us and email info@alphagenesisinc.com.
Fashion giant H&M will stop using new down and feathers for its products worldwide by the end of 2025. Ducks and geese suffer the cruel production process and slaughter for this industry. ADI supports H&M’s decision which we hope will influence other retailers to adopt humane alternatives.
A huge ‘Thank you’ to everyone who contributed to our appeal for Blitz Cruiser electric vehicles for the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. The first two are already doing the rounds and two more are on the way. Our residents are happy as they are quiet around them, and we are happy because they run for no cost, thanks to being solar powered. They are already improving efficiency. We have also received delivery of our custom-made firefighters for the Cruisers, which gives us four extra water tanks for the wildfires.
With your help, we are changing lives around the world for animals – legislation – rescue – new lives.
Thanks to our wonderful supporters, like yourself, our rescued lions, tigers, horses, pigs and others have been in fun paradise at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary with pumpkins, hay bale castles and catnip scarecrows and we will be able to keep the fun going this month.
Our sanctuary has large natural habitats, but the animals still love playing with and investigating new things. Our enrichment includes boxes of hay and catnip, catnip punchbags, watermelons, coffee sacks stuffed with hay and catnip, ice lollies, and at this time of year pumpkins! As the picture of Smith in full flight below shows this enrichment is vital for physical and mental stimulation and pure fun.
Reactions vary, there’s Mahla’s 100mph pumpkin dash; the manic play of the Spice Girls (Jade, Luna, Sun and Moon); Kimba trying to work out how to carry two pumpkins in his mouth, while brother Tomas wanders off; Muheeb grappling; to Tarzan and Tanya who really do only have eyes for each other and are rarely distracted by anything!
Jan Creamer 