Today is Giving Tuesday and I would like to start with a huge Thank you to everyone who has already contributed to our new reception area at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary for domestic animals and wildlife like tortoises and antelope.

Lions Coralie and Goliath, from a circus in France, have settled into their new home in Africa but were not the only new residents we welcomed to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) this year. Two more donkeys joined our herd, as well as geese, a peacock, tortoises and three calves, as we are increasingly asked to help with cruelty cases and tackling wildlife traffickers.

The story of a little calf, we named Bahati, found tied up so tightly in the back of a pick-up truck that she was struggling to breathe, highlighted the importance of this work, not just for the individual animal but if animal protection laws are to be effectively enforced in South Africa. If you missed it, you can read my report here.

It’s possible that the ten donkeys at ADIWS have the best life of all the animals, freely roaming hundreds of acres, even wandering in and out of buildings under construction!  Our horses roam freely during the day and come in during the evenings to be fed in their paddock and our merry band of sheep goats and cows led by Matilda are led up to our north field to graze in the day and come back to their enclosure for the night.

We currently have over 100 tiny tortoises in our nursery, while we have released numerous large tortoises on our sanctuary site to wander freely. These magnificent animals that can live up to 100 years old are indigenous to the region but are trafficked to be eaten, the shell used for trinkets or used in muthi (traditional medicine).

Unfortunately, we have reached a point where we cannot take any more animals without expanding our facilities.

Even with the wildlife, like tortoises and antelope that we plan to return to the wild or release on the sanctuary, we need a place to receive and assess them. That’s why this Giving Tuesday, we are raising the funds for a new Non-Predator Reception Area with four 1,600sqft paddocks and four 9,000sqft paddocks.  Each with a stable/shelter and water supply enabling us to receive and assess animals as they arrive.

For animals who roam the Sanctuary, this will also provide night and feeding quarters. For others, it may be a temporary home where they receive care before returning to the wild.

Our target is $44,310 / £33,650 and the good news is we are well on the way.

Thanks to one of our ADIWS Founders who has kindly offered a $25,000 / £18,000 MATCHING GRANT for this project, every donation up to this has been doubled.

Will you help us hit our target TODAY?

Whatever you can give, will make a massive difference for animals in desperate need.

Please help in any way you can: Donate US $, CA $ | Donate UK, Euros, Rand | Donate to our Facebook Fundraiser