We remain optimistic that cargo flights out of Israel to bring our rescued lions BenTzur and Ori are going to resume soon, although, another week has passed with no news. Despite all the talk in the media about the Memorandum of Understanding which everyone hopes will lead to an actual peace deal, the region remains gridlocked due to the war, and so we wait. And the boys are growing, fast!

We remain on high alert, keeping in touch with the relevant parties, and we will seize the first opportunity to bring the boys to their new life, home in Africa, at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.

After they were seized, BenTzur and Ori have remained in the zoo which provided a place of safety until a home could be found, so, they have now waited for over a year. You will recall we only took over the rescue in February. The Israel wildlife officials have sent us these recent video clips.

As you will see, they are going to be very big boys, and will never have walked or rolled about in grass, run at full speed, never seen other wildlife, nor open sky. Never conversed with other lions. They will hear the morning and evening roaring songs and will learn to join in. They have good teachers at ADIWS – across the road are Rey Ayacucho, Kesari, and Chino and Coco.

We know from previous experience they will start to run, explore, express themselves, take charge of their new territory. They will build muscle chasing around, exploring their new habitat, meeting the local rabbits, mongooses, hares, ground squirrels and other inhabitants. They will fall asleep each night under the African sky in the land of their ancestors, surrounded by their own kind.

Nothing stands still at ADIWS. We have been joined by four adorable barn owl chicks this week. A farmer nearby called us after finding the four chicks had fallen down the back of a grain silo; the parents had not been seen for several days, so feared poisoned or shot and the chicks were getting into serious difficulties.

Brent, ADIWS Wildlife & Education Director, has experience rearing and returning birds to the wild and has taken in the four (as yet unnamed), chicks (suggestions for names are welcome). They are gorgeous, already eating well and we will report on their progress with regular “Owl Watch” videos.

As the line from the movie Field of Dreams goes, “If you build it, they will come” – this could have been written about our Non-Predator Reception Area which has a regular stream of new residents needing our help – calves, goats, peacocks, baby and adult tortoises, antelope (like Springbok Percy and Daisy) and more.

Events outside of our control this year have put a lot of pressure on us. We took in the two lions, Lei-ah and Elsa, covering all food, veterinary and care costs, for what is now expected to be at least a year. The ladies filled our 2.5-acre Stephi quarantine habitat, so this presented a problem for the rescue of Ben and Ori, which we took over at short notice.

The only way to provide homes for everyone has been to move several residents around, but we had to make modifications to their new habitats, costing tens of thousands of dollars. Watch the video of Muheeb, Saif, Dhubiya and Aziza moving into new homes here

The war in the middle east has sent fuel and transport costs rocketing, impacting everything we do, supplies, transport, fencing. Most significantly, the move of Ori and BenTzur is expected to now become our most expensive rescue, per animal.  We must raise $40,000 just to cover their relocation costs, including flights, ground transport, airport fees. Demand for space on flights is huge, so we need to be ready to act fast and seize the first opportunity.

We are still a long way short of our appeal target, so please help if you can. 

BenTzur and Ori have waited too long for their new life, please help bring them home.

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