This week the sun has been blazing hot at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) with the temperature hitting 44 degrees Celsius / 111 degrees Fahrenheit, and, with an alert of two wildfires in the area, there couldn’t have been a more vivid reminder of the importance of water security for our residents at the ADIWS. So, I want to start with a very special thankyou to everyone who has contributed to our latest fundraiser to install state-of-the-art waste disposal and grey water recycling and filtration systems to conserve precious water.

This huge project will impact the daily life of the Sanctuary for years to come and the total cost will be $125,600. Thanks to your support, we have raised $53,835 and thanks to the generous match fund of $50,000 from Big Cat Rescue, we have $103,583 and just $21,764 to raise. The first phase of the project is already under way, with Chris Lee Lodge (volunteer accommodations), the temporary resident food kitchen, and the big barn (will be new Resident Care Center and J.Jarie Jensen Veterinary Center), and the Tohir Staff Village all fully serviced with waste disposal and water recycling. Our Resident Welfare Team will finally move into their new accommodations by Christmas!

I am truly grateful to Carole and Howard Baskin of Big Cat Rescue (BCR) for helping get this daunting project underway with their match fund. We first began working with BCR in 2015 (above) planning the rescue and relocation of Hoover tiger, who we rescued from a circus in Peru. BCR later supported our circus rescue in Guatemala and provided a home for tigers Simba, Kimba and Max, as well as working together for TEAPSPA and the Big Cat Public Safety Act. BCR has now closed as a sanctuary, with Simba, Kimba and Max transferred to Turpentine Creek, and Carole and Howard are now focused on big cat conservation projects. With decades of experience running a sanctuary, they immediately understood the importance of water security and clean waste disposal – thank you.

Can you help get us to the FINISH LINE with this hugely important water security project for ADIWS?

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Last week, Dr Peter Caldwell came to the Sanctuary for annual health checks and vaccinations. He sedated four lions: Chino had a small umbilical hernia checked, which Dr Caldwell determined was not troubling him and did not need action; Tarzan’s vitamin levels were checked, and he is being treated for a kidney infection; Saif and Muheeb had blood and urine samples taken. We are concerned about Muheeb (pictured) losing weight, but we await lab results. In the meantime, Dr Caldwell has given him additional vitamins, supplements, and antibiotics and his food is monitored and adjusted as needed, each day.

Two UK women have been sentenced to prison for two years and fifteen months respectively, under the Serious Crimes Act (2007) for distributing hundreds of monkey torture videos and images on Telegram. The videos were filmed in Indonesia and the ground-breaking conviction was the first time offenders have been charged for animal cruelty offences committed abroad. Monkey torture content has been growing over the past few years, ADI is working with the Social Media Animal Cruelty Coalition (SMACC), and the UK’s Ofcom regulator, to crack down on such online videos. Please let ADI know when you see cruel or suspect content, for example, fake rescues, where animals are deliberately placed in danger (for example for fake rescues).

Three horses – Abuffalosoldier, Bangers And Cash, and Napper Tandy – died at the UK’s Cheltenham races. Abuffalosoldier had just won his race when he collapsed and died. The on-course vet stated it was a cardiovascular issue, possibly a heart attack, adding there was high-risk in elite athletes whether they are horses or human, whenever there is exertion. While humans have a choice, the horse racing industry pushes these animals to run their hearts out, and when they are no longer wanted many are sent to slaughter. Don’t attend or bet on horse races and spread the word to help raise awareness.

In a historic move, Berkeley in California became the first city in the US to ban factory farming, with 60% of voters voting in favor of a prohibition on Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). We hope others will follow this landmark decision.

The UK Ivory Act, which prohibits sale of elephant and rhino ivory, has been amended to include the common hippopotamus, killer whale, narwhal, and sperm whale (walrus ivory is already covered by other regulations). Opponents claimed this will impact the sale of antiques and lead to ivory being thrown away. However, the amendment was passed with the majority view that protecting wildlife from the devastating impact of the ivory trade (including using ‘legal’ ivory as a cover for poached ivory) must override the trade in antique goods.

YOU DID IT! ADIWS now has a fleet of four fully electric Blitz Cruiser vehicles for animal care and maintenance, each powered by a solar panel roof, as well as custom-made fire-fighting tanks for battling wildfires. The vehicles are proving a huge success, improving efficiency, quiet around the animals, non-polluting and no fuel costs! Another step towards being a green Sanctuary and minimizing our impact on the environment in the face of climate change. THANK YOU OUR ADI SUPPORTERS WHO MADE THIS POSSIBLE.

It’s that time of year again, when naturally shy, wide roaming reindeer, are loaded into transporters and taken to city centres and other inappropriate venues to be surrounded by crowds for Christmas events. Despite requests from ADI, Novikov restaurant in central London again used live reindeer as decorations for their Christmas market.

In the UK, please join our requests to Novikov to end the use of live reindeer for future events. Contact them at ChristmasMarket@novikovrestaurant.co.uk

In the US, please contact ADI if you see live reindeer acts in your area.

Orca Keto, who spent 18 years in captivity at Loro Parque in Tenerife, has died. Born 29 years ago at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, Keto’s mother was the first captive-born orca at the park, while his father was captured from the wild near Iceland in 1978. Tragically, his father died when his skull was crushed by a metal gate. Keto was repeatedly moved between SeaWorld locations in the U.S. before being flown across the Atlantic with three other young orcas to Loro Parque. For his entire life, Keto was confined to a small tank and made to perform tricks for entertainment. Intelligent and social, he was denied the freedom of the world’s oceans, natural communications, stimulation and enjoyment of his family group. Another victim of cheap entertainment with no thought to the suffering caused.

In the US, please urge your Congress members to support the Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings (SWIMS) Act, S3694 to ban the taking and breeding of certain cetacean species for public display, and their import/export. You can use this form to contact them – enter your address to send a message to your Congress members.

We previously reported on the escape of 43 young macaque monkeys from a laboratory facility in South Carolina. Most have now been recaptured, with reports of four still at large. Their escape has led to concerns about the facility’s operations, questions about the substantial funding it has received, its history of ethical violations, primate escapes, and the potential danger posed to both human and animal communities.

Please urge Alpha Genesis to release the monkeys to a suitable sanctuary and replace animal use with advanced scientific methods – faster, cheaper, more relevant to humans. Email them at info@alphagenesisinc.com.

Zoo vets believe a baby red panda at Edinburgh Zoo died after choking on her own vomit due to the stress of exploding fireworks on Bonfire Night. Studies have shown that approximately 45% of dogs show fear and anxiety during fireworks, cats often hide or run away, and birds and bats often abandon their nests, with some flying up to 500 km to escape the noise, leaving them exhausted. Regulations are urgently needed to limit firework access, use, and to set noise limits. Please support better ways to celebrate, like laser shows, drones, candles, sparklers, and urge firework outlets to either drop their sale or only sell low impact (reduced noise) fireworks. In the UK, Sarah Owen MP has introduced a private members bill (the Fireworks Bill) which would provide stricter rules for sellers and a 90-decibel noise limit for fireworks. The bill will have its second reading in January. Please urge your MP to support. Read more about the impact of fireworks on our website here.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and our Luna and Jade cards are selling fast, so if you have yet to place an order through our UK / US stores for your festive goodies, be sure to do so by December 18 in the UK or December 16 in the US to receive in time for the big day!

With your help, we are continuing to change the world for animals, with education, legislation, rescues.

To support our work, please donate here: Donate US $, CA $ | Donate UK £, Euros, Rand