Tomas is back at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) and is reunited with brother Kimba following emergency surgery. He has a hearty appetite and is roaring loudly.

Tomas was taken to the hospital after showing signs of sickness and discomfort. It turned out part of his large intestine had become twisted and folded, causing a blockage and cutting off blood supply. Dr. Peter Caldwell performed a complex surgery, removing 15cm/6 inches of intestine and re-connecting the blood supply. Tomas remained in the hospital as we anxiously awaited news that the operation had been successful.

Tomas, Kimba and sister Sasha (who lives in the habitat next door) were all born in Circo Navarro in Guatemala. We rescued Kimba and Sasha when ADI began enforcing the country’s ban on animals in circuses. Tomas had already been sent to a zoo, but we got a call at our Temporary Rescue Unit that the zoo wanted to surrender Tomas! We kept the boys close together, near Sasha, and reunited them at ADIWS.

Since then, the boys are rarely seen apart and spend a lot of time close to Sasha. For the time Tomas was in hospital, Kimba was clearly distressed and sought solace sitting by Sasha (who lives next door due to her incapacity with her titanium leg).

Kimba was overjoyed to see Tomas when he returned. We have to be careful when re-uniting animals who have been to the hospital, as the returning animal can feel vulnerable, disorientated and defensive. So, the boys spent the first night in separate rooms in their house, able to make contact through the mesh; they stayed close together all night.

The next day there were plenty of head bumps and cuddling when they met in their feeding camp. With Tomas having had major surgery, they remained in the feeding camp, so Tomas didn’t overexert himself (and to monitor his bowel movements).

Tomas remains a little thin after his illness, but with his enthusiastic appetite, we can build him up again. He has irritable bowel disorder and is being treated for an infection causing a runny nose. He eagerly devours his daily medication in a treat!

These recent events are a reminder of the huge long-term commitment we must make for the health care of these animals. We rescued four of the lions from Circo Navarro in 2018. Dear Nena was tragically riddled with cancer and had to be euthanized in Guatemala; Sasha, too, had cancer, but a lifesaving, groundbreaking operation by Dr. Caldwell saw the cancerous bone removed, and Sasha received a titanium leg implant; Kimba has spinal damage; and Tomas just required this complex intestinal surgery.

The first thing the boys did once they were back in the main 2.5-acre Avi Habitat was to go sit by Sasha in Jacque Habitat, and they do this each day, after dinner.

We are always adapting to meet the needs of the residents in our care, and, for some time, I have wanted to build a section of fence so that Tomas, Kimba, and Sasha can safely enjoy actual contact with each other. We tried previously with just Kimba and Sasha but unfortunately, and almost certainly due to her feeling vulnerable with her leg, Sasha would be too aggressive with Kimba. And yet she loves to be with them.

What we need to do to make them truly happy is to build a strong fence, which is not electrified, and it will need to have a drop gate so we can move them around. Is this something you would like to help with?

Day-to-day care, veterinary treatment, and maintenance and adaptations to habitats are constant ongoing costs for the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. Bequests in Wills are one of the most important ways of securing the long-term future of ADIWS, ensuring we can always meet these challenges.

To help towards Tomas’ recovery and adapting his and Kimba’s habitat to increase contact with dear Sasha: Donate US $, CA $ | Donate UK £, Euros, Rand