I first became aware of Wild@Life when I read they rescued a tiny and very sick black kitten from an African wet market. "Steve" was destined to be a voodoo sacrifice: skinned while still alive and bled to death. My (very spoiled) black kitty and I were moved by Steve's story and felt blessed that we were able to help "Team Steve" in their efforts to bring this poor kitty back from the brink of death.
https://m2labs.wordpress.com/2021/06/09/steve/
(Steve's all ears and eyes - lol)
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In March this year, the Wild at Life e.V. team was notified of a young giraffe lying on his motionless mother. Upon arrival, the team learnt that the mother giraffe had been shot several days prior and the baby giraffe remained by her side, waiting for her to come back to life. As there were no giraffe herds in sight, it is presumable that they had left to carry on with their journey. We named the calf Süleyman, and he was promptly rescued and brought to Bela Bela sanctuary.
Süleyman’s first 14 days in Bela Bela sanctuary were crucial and would determine his likelihood of survival. At first, he did not eat and was understandably stressed from the change of environment and the absence of his mother. Thankfully, he soon got acquainted with the sanctuary’s caregivers and even made friends with Purry, a resident cat. Despite what he had gone through, Süleyman is a mischievous, bundle of joy that continues to flourish each day.
Now that Süleyman is stronger and does not need constant monitoring, he was moved to a larger enclosure that also houses one Kudu, one Nyala, and two Sable antelopes. Doing so minimises Süleyman’s interaction with humans, and acclimatises him to be with other herbivores, as giraffes would be in the wild.
In a year or so when Süleyman is older, he will be introduced to the other resident giraffes at Bela Bela sanctuary.
Moving Süleyman to a spacious enclosure was part of Asli Han Gedik’s - the founder of Wild at Life e.V. - agenda when she was in South Africa in mid-April. During that period, Wild at Life e.V. was contacted by an owner of a canned hunting farm of two tigers that he no longer wants.
Breeding big cats for commercial purposes like cub petting, roadside zoos, or trophy hunting perpetuates cruelty and suffering, and reduces them to objects of profit and entertainment. It incentivizes irresponsible breeding practices, inbreeding, and failing to prioritize animal welfare. Once these big cats outgrow their cuteness or become less profitable, they are often sold to substandard facilities, killed, or in this case, discarded.
Tigers are not native to Africa and only exist in African countries through illegal trafficking and captive breeding, usually for the purpose of canned hunting as hunting a tiger can fetch up to a staggering $35k - $40k. Fortunately, canned hunting farms in South Africa have not been getting as many visitors in recent years amid the pandemic and border restrictions. Since tigers are the biggest cat species in the world, no one hunting them meant that the farm owner would incur high expenses on their food, hence, his decision to give them away.
These tigers which were once nameless and probably only identified by numbers or “that one” are now called Lily and Luna. They are two beautiful, full-grown female tigers now thriving in Bela Bela sanctuary free from bullets and harm.
Asli said: “We must recognize that big cats are wild animals with complex needs and instincts. Breeding them in captivity only perpetuates their suffering and undermines conservation efforts in their native habitats. Instead, our focus should be on preserving and protecting these magnificent creatures in the wild, where they can thrive and play their vital roles in maintaining ecosystems.”
https://www.wildatlife.com/
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