Our annual ADI Art Auction helps support the care of our rescued animals at ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) in South Africa AND provides the opportunity for you to bid on one or more of the incredible pieces of animal themed artwork donated by the artists. We hope you will join the auction and place YOUR bid!

ADI founded International Primate Day on September 1, 2005, to highlight the suffering of primates. Our campaign has had some major breakthroughs since then including ending the use of chimpanzees and wild-caught monkeys in EU and UK laboratories, airport awareness drives in Peru discouraging people from purchasing primates and trafficked animals as pets, and the rescue, rehoming, and return to the wild or sanctuary for dozens of monkeys rescued from circuses, laboratories, restaurants and traffickers. There is still much to do as primates continue to suffer but with your help we are turning the tide.

This International Primate Day, we are asking for your support to end the use of primates as pets around the world.

At Animal Defenders International (ADI), we are deeply grateful for your generous support as we fight to end animal suffering worldwide. Your compassion has fueled our work, from our ground-breaking Stop Circus Suffering campaign to abolish the use of animals in circuses – which has led to bans in over 50 countries – to our ongoing investigations and work to end animal testing and replacement with advanced technology, stop fur farming, ban trophy hunting, save wild animals from the illegal pet trade, and so much more.

I am heartbroken to announce that our dear Tanya, Tarzan’s lifetime companion and protector, has passed away. Tanya was 15-16 years old and rescued from a circus in Guatemala with her lifelong love, Tarzan.

International Tiger Day is July 29. As it approaches, I have been thinking about the wonderful, brave ex-circus tigers that now roam acres of wild, natural space at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) in South Africa.

The brothers are back together! When Stripes returned to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary from the hospital last week, his brother Max was clearly pleased to see him again. Stripes had been taken to Old Chapel veterinary clinic after looking unwell. An ultrasound indicated a blockage, so Dr. Peter Caldwell operated on Stripes and removed some material from his stomach. It seems that Stripes had been chewing the conveyor belt material that we use for winter insulation around the sides of the outdoor platforms. Although this has not happened before, insulation for all dens is being replaced with wood and hay bales until we can find a permanent solution. Dr. Caldwell is very happy with Stripes’ progress, and we will continue to monitor him.

The summer holidays are here and for many, that will be a chance to enjoy nature and wildlife at home and abroad. There are plenty of ethical options, supporting wildlife and nature preserves in different countries, helping wildlife rescue and, from next year, we will welcome our first visitors to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary. This will educate children about animals and the environment and also help care for our rescued animals – watch for our news!

Sadly, there are also plenty of unethical options to be avoided.

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