Remembering Tigers: The 9th Book In The Critically Acclaimed Remembering Wildlife Series.

The Mission Is To Raise Awareness Of The Threats Facing Tigers Through The Stunning Images From Many Of The World’s Top Wildlife Photographers

**Front Cover: Bengal Tiger in Bandhavgarh National Park, India by Sarah Skinner.**

Remembering Wildlife has launched several charity photo books over the years that highlight endangered species and act to raise funds for the protection of the animals featured with the help of famous supporters and talented photographers around the world. Remembering Elephants, Remembering Rhinos, Remembering Great Apes, Remembering Lions, Remembering Cheetahs, Remembering African Wild Dogs, Remembering Bears have already been produced, and Remembering Leopards was funded and delivered last year. Remembering Tigers is the latest release in the series and will bring attention to Tiger species that are threatened around the world with the help of beautiful images of Tigers generously donated by many of the world’s top wildlife photographers.

The aim of the book is to raise awareness of the plight facing Tigers and to raise money to protect them, with all profits from book sales going to conservation.

Fighting Bengal tigers in Bandhavgarh National Park, India. Credit: Andy Parkinson/Remembering Tigers)

Weighing up to 260kg and measuring up to 3 metres in length, the Tiger is the largest of the big cats. It is found in Asia, from India – where two-thirds of all wild Tigers live – through to the Russian Far East and into China. Its habitat ranges from sub-tropical forests to snow-covered mountainous terrain. Numbers are increasing in some areas, thanks to conservation efforts, yet the Tiger is the least numerous of all the large wild cats and is listed as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The stunning colours of a Bengal Tiger superbly captured by Jami Tarris. Credit: Jami Tarris/Remembering Tigers.

Threats include loss of habitat, illegal hunting for the Chinese medicinal trade (Traditional Chinese Medicine), widespread killing of their prey for bushmeat, and retaliation for attacks on humans and livestock.

Founder and Producer of Remembering Wildlife Margot Raggett MBE said: “It’s an oft-quoted fact that there are more Tigers in captivity in the US than there are left in the world, a stark reminder of how the future of Tigers might end if conservationists do not continue their focus and their fight. Tigers are a bellwether for the health of an ecosystem. For every Tiger protected in the forest, there are plants, trees, insects, birds and other mammals who thrive.”

The book is endorsed by cricketing legend and conservation champion Kevin Pietersen MBE, who says on the back cover: “The Remembering Wildlife series goes from strength to strength, with Remembering Tigers sure to be another huge hit.”

The foreword for the book is by Tiger conservationist and author Valmik Thapar, who will also speak at the official book launch and whose brilliant documentary, My Tiger Family, was broadcast on the BBC in August.

He said: “I hope Remembering Tigers, with its wonderful pictures, inspires a passion in those who see it and stirs them to new heights in order that this magnificent predator continues to walk our planet.”

The afterword is by Amit Sankhala, Trustee of the Tiger Trust, who said: “Seeing a Tiger in its natural habitat is a mesmerising encounter and I am thankful for Margot Raggett’s book which not only shows the beauty of the Tiger, but will also inspire the next generation of conservationists.”

Speaking alongside Margot Raggett MBE at the official launch event for Remembering Tigers at the Royal Geographical Society on 9 October will be Executive Director of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) Belinda Wright OBE; Tiger conservationist and author Valmik Thapar, and wildlife photographer and guide Paul Goldstein, who has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds by running 25 marathons dressed as a Tiger.

Remembering Tigers official book launch is in October 9th. Credit: Remembering Wildlife

It is estimated that there are around 10,000 captive Tigers in the US, more than the approximately 5,500 remaining in the wild. A vast majority of these captive Tigers are privately owned and living in people’s backyards, roadside attractions, and private breeding facilities. Only an estimated 6% of the US captive Tiger population resides in zoos and other facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Many of these private Tiger owners aren’t properly trained to care for wild animals, making the animals vulnerable to mistreatment and exploitation. Often these facilities will allow public contact with the Tigers, including photo ops and playtimes with tiger cubs. Not only is the welfare of these Tigers compromised, but public health and safety is at risk during these encounters.

A nine-month-old Bengal Tiger, which was seen roaming the lawns of suburban Houston, in a cage after being captured by authorities. Credit: Francois Picard

More than 280 wildlife photographers have contributed to the Remembering Wildlife series since it started in 2016, working under the banner Wildlife Photographers United. It has now raised over £1.15m GBP/$1.5m USD for 74 conservation projects in 33 countries.

The photographers who have donated their images for this edition are: Harmit Ahuja, Theo Allofs, Daryl & Sharna Balfour, Adam Bannister, Chris Brunskill, Clive Burns, Will Burrard-Lucas, Alison Buttigieg, Vladimir Cech, Vladimir Cech Jr., Sandra Clayton, Marius J Coetzee, Shem Compion, Ben Cranke, Nick Dale, Tristan Dicks, Kevin Dooley, Kairav Engineer, Suzi Eszterhas, Mark Farrington, Sascha Fonseca, Arijeet Ghosh, Paul Goldstein, Sergey Gorshkov, Sagar Gosavi, Jan van der Greef, Todd Gustafson, Andrew Holt, Sebastian Kennerknecht, Suyash Keshari, Tim Laman, Anirudh Laxmipathy, Chien C. Lee, Tin Man Lee, Russell MacLaughlin & Shannon Wild, Nitish Madan, Thomas D. Mangelsen, Anuradha Marwah, Shivang Mehta, Dale R Morris, Dhritiman Mukherjee, Sunil V. Nair, Latika Nath, Tom Nicholson, Pete Oxford, Parinya Padungtin, Sarah Parker, Andy Parkinson, Graeme Purdy, Margot Raggett, Sachin Rai, Gaurav Ramnarayanan, Aly Rashid, Yashpal Rathore, Andy Rouse, Sabrina Schumann, Jonathan & Angela Scott, Khushboo Rahul Sharma, Anjali Singh, Archna Singh, Dicky Singh, Jaisal Singh, Andy Skinner, Sarah Skinner, Kim Sullivan, Tom Svensson, Jami Tarris, Valmik Thapar, Greg du Toit, Marlon du Toit, Turgay Uzer, Francesco Veronesi, Thomas Vijayan, Lance van de Vyver, James Warwick, Steve Winter, Art Wolfe

A stunning image of a Sumatran Tiger in Aceh Province, Northern Sumatra by Steve Winter. Credit: Steve Winter/Remembering Tigers.

Sales from Remembering Tigers will be used to fund conservation projects in areas where they are vulnerable.

Further information about Remembering Wildlife can be found here .

To find out more about the projects that Remembering Wildlife has already funded, click here

Each book costs £49.50 GBP (approximately $60 USD) and copies can be ordered at www.rememberingwildlife.com

How have the Remembering Wildlife books helped conservation

Together, the series has now sold more than 50,000 books and distributed more than £1.15 million GBP / $1.5 million USD to 74 different conservation projects in 33 countries across Africa, North and South America, Asia and Europe.

All books were prefunded by successful Kickstarter campaigns, meaning that all profits can be given straight to projects protecting the species that the book is focused on.

Since the launch of Remembering Elephants in 2016, over 270 of the world’s best wildlife photographers have generously contributed to the series. Here is the full list of those whose images have appeared in one or more of the Remembering Wildlife titles so far:

Jane Addey, Karine Aigner, Oriol Alamany, Taylor Thomas Albright, Neil Aldridge, Maxime Aliaga, Theo Allofs, Matt Armstrong-Ford, Grant Atkinson, Andrew Aveley, Daniel Bailey, Daryl & Sharna Balfour, Adam Bannister, Brooke Bartleson, Stephen Belcher, Rick Beldegreen, Patrick Bentley, Sabine Bernert, Andy Biggs, Giorgio Bighi, Jayaprakash Bojan, Donal Boyd, Sean Brogan, Kate Brooks, Seyms Brugger, Volodymyr Burdiak, Matt Burrard-Lucas, Will Burrard-Lucas, Benoit Bussard, Alison Buttigieg, Marina Cano, Ayesha Cantor, Mark Cawardine, David Cayless, Vladimir Cech, Vladimir Cech Jr., Peter Chadwick, Paras Chandaria, Sam Clark, Alwyn Coates, Chad Cocking, Marius Coetzee, Martyn Colbeck, Marco Colombo, Shem Compion, Alain Compost, Keith Connelly, Rob Cottle, Ross Couper, Ben Cranke, Brendon Cremer, Mark Deeble & Victoria Stone, Tanja Dekker, Willem Dekker, Melanie Delamare, Peter Delaney, M & C Denis-Huot, Anja Denker, Richard Denyer, Tristan Dicks, Sebastián Di Doménico, Billy Dodson, Kevin Dooley, Mark Dumbleton, Julie Duncan, Michelle & Ken Dyball, Nicholas Dyer, Andy Edge, Kairav Engineer, Morkel Erasmus, Denise Eriksson, Amit Eshel, Suzi Eszterhas, Chris Fallows, Sascha Fonseca, James Gifford, Daisy Gilardini, Paul Goldstein, Sergey Gorshkov, Marc Graf, Fredrik Granath, Chris Grech, Jan van der Greef, Kim Griffin, Owen Grobler, Melissa Groo, Fabrice Guerin, Richard Guijt, Amy Gulick, Todd Gustafson, Josh Guyan, Drew Hamilton, Charlie Hamilton James, Thorsten Hanewald, Hilary Hann, Peter Haygarth, Tony Heald, Harman Singh Heer, Trish Hennessy, Naudé Heunis, Torie Hilley, Joshua Holko, Roger Hooper, Friedrich von Horsten, Andy Howe, Jabruson, Britta Jaschinski, Vicki Jauron, Brendon Jennings, Arnfinn Johansen, Morten Jørgensen, Paul Joynson-Hicks, Jocelin Kagan, Lakshitha Karunarathna, Kyriakos Kaziras, Steven Kazlowski, Sebastian Kennerknecht, Bob Keyser, Clement Kiragu, Agung Ganthar Kusumanto, Tim Laman, Lisa A. Langell, Frans Lanting, Behzad J. Larry, Chien Lee, Ole J Liodden, David Lloyd, Hannes Lochner, George Logan, Michael Lorentz, Nick Lyon, Piper Mackay, Russell MacLaughlin, Kate Malone, Thomas D. Mangelsen, Suhail Manji, Tin Man Lee, Johan Marais, Matt Maran, Tom Mason, Jo-Anne McArthur, Molly McCormick, Phil McFadden, Paul McKenzie, Shivang Mehta, Garry Mills, Sumeet Moghe, Marc Mol, Dale R Morris, Sue Morris, Margot Muir, Mike Muizebelt, Dhritiman Mukherjee, Yashas Narayan, Shareen Nash, Latika Nath, Elliott Neep, Heinrich Neumeyer, Nick Newman, Thomas Nicolon, Kyle de Nobrega, Jules Oldroyd, Hilary O’Leary, Marsel van Oosten, Xavier Ortega, Ben Osborne, Prelena Soma Owen, Pete Oxford, Chris Packham, Richard Packwood, Parinya Padungtin, Andy Parkinson, Dawn Perkins, Richard Peters, Mevan Piyasena, Julien Polet, Michael Poliza, Jacha Potgieter, Isak Pretorius, Graeme Purdy, Nick Rabjohn, Cameron Raffan, Margot Raggett, Abdul Rashid, Ian Redmond, Pierluigi Rizzato, Gregg Robinson, Dee Roelofsz, Fiona Rogers, Gurcharan Roopra, Matthew Roper, Daniel Rosengren, Andy Rouse, David Sandford, Nima Sarikhani, Joel Sartore, Melissa Schäfer, Chris Schmid, Yaron Schmid, Sabrina Schumann, Jonathan & Angela Scott, Pasan Senevirathne, Anup Shah, Ismail Shariff, Amy Shutt, Anjali Singh, Andy Skillen, Andy Skinner, Sarah Skinner, Paul Souders, Kathryn Sowerbutts, Brent Stapelkamp, William Steel, Jonas Stenqvist, Brent Stirton, Charl Stols, Sabine Stols, James Suter, Tom Svensson, Jami Tarris, Austin Thomas, Jessica Tingley Dunn, Roy Toft, Greg du Toit, Marlon du Toit, Steve & Ann Toon, Paolo Torchio, R.J. Turner, Christophe Vasselin, Albie Venter, Bertus Venter, Hendri Venter, Federico Veronesi, Francesco Veronesi, Thomas Vijayan, Fred Vogt, Marion Vollborn, Pim Volkers, Lance van de Vyver, Tami Walker, James Warwick, Tom Way, Marcus Westberg, Christopher Whittier, Staffan Widstrand, Shannon Wild, Jon Wilson, Steve Winter, Shannon Witz, Art Wolfe, Kim Wolhuter, Nelis Wolmarans, Ian Wood, and Jeffrey Wu.

All of the stunning images used in the books and exhibitions have been generously donated by the photographers, as their way to give back to the species they make their livings from photographing.

Margot Raggett, founder of Remembering Wildlife

I fell in love with wildlife and safaris many years before picking up a camera! In the 2000s, I worked in PR in London and used all my spare cash to book safaris to Africa, as I had become totally addicted to being in nature. It was when I inadvertently signed up to a photography-based safari in 2010 that everything changed for me. It was a trip to see Kenya’s ‘Great Migration’ led by Jonathan & Angela Scott and it was only a few days before I went, that I realised I was supposed to bring a camera. I bought a cheap kit camera & lens and headed to Kenya. It turned out that camera was no good at all for wildlife (it was a very short lens) but nonetheless, I was totally inspired by Jonathan & Angela’s photography. When I got home, I immediately upgraded my gear and signed up for a course at the London School of Photography to learn the basics and I’ve never looked back. For a few years I went on as many photographer-led trips as I could, to learn from the best and then in 2012, agreed a deal to work as a Photographer in Residence at a camp in the Maasai Mara called Entim Camp. At that point I started selling my photos and attracting followers on social media. 

It was in 2014 that everything changed for me once again. I had been working as a resident photographer in Kenya at that point for about three months a year, for three years, and it was at the end of one of those stays that I travelled to Laikipia to visit a friend. We were woken very early in camp by the sound of Hyenas going crazy and at first light, went to investigate. What I saw changed my life, It was an Elephant who had died from a poisoned arrow, likely  poachers had shot him but he’d got away, only to die a slow, painful death over the next few days. The Hyenas had started to eat his body and the sight – and the smell – was so shocking. I came to realise that poaching and the many other threats that wildlife faces are often hidden away from tourists and as a result, many like me at that point, had any idea how bad things really are. I was incredibly angry and upset and resolved to channel those emotions into something positive. That was the trigger for me to start work on what I thought would be a one-off book on Elephants, to raise awareness about poaching and funds for projects working to protect Elephants. I started to approach wildlife photographers I’d met in the field and invited them to donate an image each and it took off from there. 18 months later, Remembering Elephants was published. It sold out in 2 months and raised more than £100,000 and without me knowing it, a series was born. We’ve published seven more books since (Remembering Rhinos, Remembering Great Apes, Remembering Lions, Remembering Cheetahs , Remembering African Wild Dogs, Remembering Bears, Remembering Leopards) and Remembering Tigers will be published in October 2024. Nowadays I spend far less time in the field taking traditional wildlife pictures like before but rather, I spend more time visiting the projects we are able to support with our funds, so I can see how our money is making a difference. 

Margot was awarded an MBE in the The King’s Birthday Honours 2023 for services to International Wildlife Conservation.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is margotraggott_gitzo_profile-pic_350.jpeg_1.jpg — **Margot Raggett MBE**

Celebrity supporters of Remembering Wildlife

Remembering Wildlife Founder Margot Raggett with actor, filmmaker and animal conservationist Dan Richardson. Credit: Dan Richardson

A Tragic Wolf Called ‘Romeo’ Was Loved Too Much And Deserved Better.

On a twilit night in Juneau, Alaska, in December 2003, Nick and Sherrie Jans were walking with Dakotah, their yellow Lab, in the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area not far from their house. Suddenly, a young black wolf appeared on the ice—and began running in their direction. Awestruck but scared, the couple watched as Dakotah broke loose and charged the predator, which was twice the size of the dog. The animals stopped yards apart and gazed at each other “as if each were glimpsing an almost-forgotten face and trying to remember,” recalled Jans. After a few moments, Dakotah ran back to her owners, and the three hurried home, listening to the wolf howl

The locals named him Romeo, and soon his presence was noted by the entire town. Most found it fascinating that Romeo was so friendly, while others assumed that this naturally predatory animal would give into his natural instincts at any moment, potentially attacking their pets and children.

During this time Nick Jans started documenting Romeo. When he did, he uncovered an emotional story, the heart of which describes the tenuous relationships between wild animals and the humans around them.

“The first thing I saw was tracks out on the lake in front of our house on the outskirts of Juneau,” Jans said in an interview with National Geographic. “A few days later, I looked out from my house and there was this wolf out on the ice. I’d had 20 years of experience around wolves up in the Arctic and immediately knew it was a wolf, not a dog. I threw on my skis and found him.”

According to Jans, Romeo seemed totally relaxed and friendly.

And it wasn’t just one interaction, either: Romeo remained his curious, friendly self for the better part of six years.

“For want of a better word,” Jans said, “The only thing I can say from a human perspective is that it amounted to friendship. If you wanted to be scientifically correct, it would be “social mutual tolerance.” But it was more than that. The wolf would come trotting over to say hi, and give a little bow and a relaxed yawn, and go trotting after us when we went skiing. There was no survival benefit. He obviously just enjoyed our company.”

Romeo’s behavior was definitely unusual, as many wolves tend to assert dominance by attacking dogs and other animals.

The wolf got his name because Jans and his family noticed how Romeo was kind of a flirt — particularly with their “Juliet,” a dog named Dakotah. Here, they’re standing nose-to-nose in what seems to be an all-too-perfect photo moment.

Romeo survived for years despite many mortal threats: scented traps, busy roads, illegal hunting, and even a poisoning attempt. He also had to contend with the natural dangers of starvation, injury, and attack by another pack of wolves. By almost any standard, his prolonged proximity to humans and dogs constituted incredibly rare behaviour. There was no obvious survival benefit to his socializing, yet the wolf lingered persistently, a late echo of the original process that must have initiated the domestication of dogs.

“When you get down to the genetic difference between a wolf and a domestic dog, whether it is a Chihuahua or a Great Dane, all dogs are 99.98 percent genetically a wolf. That 0.02 percent obviously looms huge, because if you raise a wolf cub from the time it opens its eyes, it may make a wonderfully bonded animal, but it will not be a dog, no matter what you do. It will act like a wolf and be a wolf. It takes generations to shape the soul of a wolf and its physical shape into man’s best friend.”

Romeo stayed in the area for as long as he lived — and he lived three times longer than most wild wolves do.

“Romeo was the single most transformative event of my life,” Jans said. “The amazing thing was Romeo’s understanding. It wasn’t just our understanding and tolerance. It was the combination of his and ours and the dogs’. We were these three species working out how to get along harmoniously. And we did.”

What happened to Romeo? Romeo disappeared in late September 2009. After some sleuthing, a supporter found he had been shot and killed by Juneau resident Park Myers III and his Pennsylvanian friend Jeff Peacock. Both men were arrested and ended up paying fines, serving a few years on probation, and losing hunting and fishing privileges for a limited time. In late November 2010, a memorial service was held for Romeo and this plaque was laid along a path where he once roamed.

“Nothing can take away the miracle that was Romeo and the years we spent in his company,” writes Jans. “Love, not hate, is the burden we carry.”

Nick Jans’ beautiful account of his unusual relationship is now in a book called A Wolf Called Romeo.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP WILDLIFE

You can support ‘Protect All Wildlife’ by donating as little as £1 – It only takes a minute but it can last a lifetime for an animal in need. Please donate below.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO HELP ANIMALS IN NEED

Everyone who donates will receive a Certificate of Appreciation as a thank you for helping animals in need.

The Mission of Protect All Wildlife is to prevent cruelty and promote the welfare of ALL animals.

We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.

It is vital that we protect animals against acts of cruelty, abuse, and neglect by enforcing established animal welfare laws and, when necessary, take action to ensure that those who abuse animals are brought to justice.

Protect All Wildlife are involved in many projects to protect animals’ rights, welfare, and habitats. Money contributed to Protect All Wildlife supports ALL of our worthy programmes and gives us the flexibility to respond to emerging needs. Your donations

US Trophy Hunter Pays $181,000 To Kill An Astore Markhor In Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

According to Gilgit Baltistan wildlife officials, Brian Douglas Williams from the US successfully hunted an Astore Markhor (Capra falconeri) in Doyan, with a ‘trophy size’ of 40-inch horns.

**US trophy hunter Brian Douglas Williams with the endangered Astore Markhor.**

The hunter paid a $181,000 trophy hunting permit fee to the GB Wildlife Department (GBWD) for the hunt.

The trophy hunting programme starts in October and ends in April the following year.

The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government’s wildlife department on auctioned trophy hunting permits for 104 endangered animals, with the highest permit to hunt the Astor Markhor fetching a record $186,000, a wildlife department official confirmed.

The licenses included four for Astore Markhors, 14 for Blue Sheep, and 88 for Himalayan Ibex in various community conservation areas across US Trophy Hunter Pays $181,000 To Kill An Astore Markhor In Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.

The enormous license fee to kill the rare Markhor, a long-horned goat native to Pakistan and found in its snowy northern mountains, is one of the highest in the world. The trophy hunting program was first introduced by the region’s administration in GB’s Nagar Valley in 1990, attracting international hunters who have since been paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to target a limited number of wild animals in the area. The program was later extended to different areas of GB.

Trophy hunting is viewed worldwide as a controversial practice as it involves hunting of rare animals for sport and displaying their parts as trophies. Conservationists argue the trophy hunting program in northern Pakistan prevents poaching and empowers local communities. Markhors are usually found at heights of 8,000-11,000 feet, but during the winter months descend to between 5,000-6,000 feet, which is when the hunting season kicks off.

Pakistan is famous for the Markhor, which is distinguished by its nimble and sure-footed nature, as well as long winter coat and massive spiral horns, which can grow to more than 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length for males.

The Markhor’s current estimated population is between 3,500 and 5,000, a majority of them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), followed by Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Balochistan.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP WILDLIFE

You can support ‘Protect All Wildlife’ many projects by donating as little as £5 – It only takes a minute but it can last a lifetime for an animal in need. Please donate below.

Donate Here: Please Help Animals In Need

Everyone who donates will receive a Certificate of Appreciation as a thank you for helping animals in need.

The Mission of Protect All Wildlife is to prevent cruelty and promote the welfare of ALL animals.

We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.

Donate Here: Please Help Animals In Need

Four Lions Rescued From War-Torn Ukraine Starting New Life At Yorkshire Wildlife Park

**Santa, Teddi and Emi are pictured in their new enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Credit: Yorkshire Wildlife Park.**

Three-year-old Aysa and her three cubs have arrived at their new Yorkshire home after travelling 2,000 miles. The animals spent nine months confined without seeing the sky before being driven from Poznan, Poland, to establish their new residence.

Emi, Santa, and Teddi, the Lion cubs, saw grass, trees, and birds for the first time since their mum Aysa managed to evade Russian Bombs in Donetsk a year ago.

**Teddi, Emi and Santa were often distressed when seen at their temporary home in Poland. Credit: Yorkshire Wildlife Park.**

The cubs have little experience of the outside world, the park said, after being held in small indoor enclosures.

Bex Brown, 34, head of the carnivore section at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, was thrilled by the sight. She shared: “It’s incredible. This is what dreams are made of. As a child all you want is to help animals and now I’m part of this wonderful rescue.”

Teddi was the first to venture out of his box into a tunnel which leads to a holding area while Colin Northcott, the deputy head of carnivores, used the Polish word for ‘come’ to encourage him to move. Unsurprisingly, Teddi didn’t hesitate and ran straight into the pen where he kept low in the straw.

**Lion cub Teddi is released from his crate into his new enclosure at The Yorkshire Wildlife Park.**

Emi and Santa took longer to join, requiring about five and twenty minutes respectively. Initially, they were seen staying close together but soon began interacting playfully with logs within the cage.

Aysa, who was settled in an adjacent cage, appeared the calmest among all, instantly settling into her space, moving towards the front of the enclosure and appearing intrigued by the sky above. She also took notice of all the rangers around, seeming to recognise Colin specifically.

But they had to be split up when Aysa got upset with one of them in their small space. The cubs and their mum lived next to each other in little concrete pens. They might not have run around freely before.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park worked hard for seven months to bring them to the UK. They arrived in Yorkshire at night, but it was too dark to let them out. So they saw their new home when the sun came up on Thursday. The park rangers really like the four new Lions.

Asha was all alone and didn’t have enough food during the war until she was rescued. She had her babies in October 2022.

**Lioness Aysa was pregnant with her cubs when she was abandoned at a private zoo in Ukraine. Credit: Yorkshire Wildlife Park.**

Colin, watching them get used to their new place, said: “I’m over the moon, overjoyed they are finally here. And I am totally amazed at how quickly they’ve settled in. The cubs were playing with the logs together within minutes of being reunited.

“Now I can’t wait until they are settled enough to run around, walk on the grass and smell the fresh air. It’s overwhelming to finally have them here with us and the public are going to love them. This is a massive new world for them and it’s going to be really scary at first.

“Even the language they hear will be different. I’m trying to learn a few words in Polish to make them feel more at home. But I can’t wait for them now to run around playing, walking on grass for the first time, seeing the water and the sky. It will be incredible.

“Poznan Zoo did an amazing thing rescuing them and they looked after them really well, they look so healthy and fit. But it pulled at my heartstrings seeing them unable to enjoy the fresh air and the outside world.

“The rangers over there were also really keen for them to get more space. It’s like she’s been here for years! She is such a sweetheart. Of the cubs, Santa is the largest and most dominant.

“I’m really happy with their condition and how calm they seem. I didn’t expect that at all. When I saw them in Poznan they were terrified.”

In Poznan, the traumatised cubs would hiss at strangers. They could hear their mum calling as she paced in the pen next door but couldn’t see her.

In Yorkshire they will soon be reunited as their holding pens are separated by a panel that can be removed to reveal a mesh barrier. The rangers have a plan to eventually release the lions into an eight-acre enclosure filled with waterfalls and caves. Cheryl Willams, 61, co-founded Yorkshire Wildlife Park in 2008, along with her husband Nev, business partner John Minion and his father Stephen Minion.

They wanted to create a zoo that was a “guilt-free” experience. The park, located at Auckley, near Doncaster, has been very successful and is well-known for its work in animal conservation. This will be The Pride of Yorkshire 2 as they carried out the biggest ever rescue of Lions in 2010 when they flew 13 lions from terrible conditions in a Romanian zoo.

**The original Lion Country at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park.**

Now, only two of those rescued Lions remain, Crystal and Carla, who are both 17 years old. Cheryl and John said the rescue was funded by the public and they said it was important their ‘Lion Country’ remained for animal welfare use.

“It’s remarkable how calm they are,” she said. “They are just sat there looking at us, at the moment. They seem fascinated by their surroundings. I think people are going to absolutely love the Lions because people love a happy ending like this.

“And people also love characters and you can see already how they are all so different. I really can’t wait for people to be able to see them in a few weeks time.”

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP WILDLIFE

You can support ‘Protect All Wildlife’ many projects by donating as little as £5 – It only takes a minute but it can last a lifetime for an animal in need. Please donate below.

Donate Here: Please Help Animals In Need

Everyone who donates will receive a Certificate of Appreciation as a thank you for helping animals in need.

The Mission of Protect All Wildlife is to prevent cruelty and promote the welfare of ALL animals.

We believe EVERY animal should be treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. We raise awareness to protect and conserve wild, captive, companion and farm animals.

Donate Here: Please Help Animals In Need

Istanbul Police Bust Wildlife Trafficking Ring As Raid On Illicit Wildlife Museum Reveals Stuffed Endangered Animals Worth $2.3m

**Some of the animals illegally killed by Ali Haydar Ustay. Credit: Istanbul Police Department’s Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch**

In an operation conducted in the districts of Sarıyer and Arnavutköy in Istanbul, over 400 taxidermied specimens of protected wild animals were confiscated. The suspect, 85-year-old Ali Haydar Ustay, who established a private museum by hunting animals domestically and internationally, has been apprehended.

During the raid conducted on Wednesday at the identified addresses, over 400 pieces of processed ornamental items and taxidermied animals were seized. New details emerged during the operation, revealing that taxidermied specimens and trophies of wildlife were present. Consequently, Ali Haydar Ustay was apprehended as a “suspect.” During the searches conducted at the addresses, various types of stuffed animals were seized, including Deer, American Antelope, Bison, Jaguar, Crocodile, Bear and Mountain Goat, with an approximate market value of TL 75 million ($2.3).

**More of the animals seized by the Istanbul Police Department’s Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch.**

The raid was the final step in detailed physical and technical tracking and resulted in the seizure of over 400 specimens, including species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The haul features taxidermied Polar Bears, Crocodiles, Lions, Jaguars, Cheetahs, Bison, and a notable Mammoth tusk. Authorities have valued the collection at a staggering $2.3 million.

Ustay, known for his extensive hunting expeditions, travelled to 30 countries on six continents to amass his collection. He illegally transported the animals into Turkey via his private aircraft.

**The Polar Bear killed by Ali Haydar Ustay. Credit: Istanbul Police Department’s Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch.**

He went to extraordinary lengths to pursue his prey, including a two-week stint in a tree for a Striped Deer and a two-month stay in Canada for a Polar Bear.

The most egregious of his acts include the hunting and killing of the last known Anadolu Tiger in Turkey. “This is not just a crime against nature but a direct assault on our national heritage and biodiversity,” said a General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks spokesperson.

**The skin of the last known Anadolu Tiger in Turkey. Credit: Istanbul Police Department’s Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime Branch.**

The discovery of the Tiger’s skin in Ustay’s collection has stirred a wave of outrage among wildlife activists and conservationists.

Authorities have commenced the process of handing over the seized items, including trophies, skins, and other artifacts, to the Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks. Ustay is currently undergoing interrogation for his alleged crimes.

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After Whales And Dolphins, Ottawa Intends To Ban Captive Monkeys And Elephants.

After Whales and Dolphins, Ottawa intends to ban keeping Elephants and great Apes in captivity in the country “because of the cruelty they represent”.

A new bill, called The Jane Goodall Act, was introduced in the Senate on Tuesday to ban anyone from taking an Elephant or a great Ape, a term that includes Chimpanzees, Gorillas and Orangutans.

Canadian zoos won’t be able to bring in new elephants or apes under new federal legislation introduced this week, except under specific circumstances. Bill S-15 looks to ban all new captivity of the species except where a licence is granted for conservation, research or an animal’s best interest.

“The recapture of any Elephant or great Ape in Canada must meet very strict criteria demonstrating that the activity is for animal welfare, conservation or science,” commented the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault.

Senator Marky Klyne of Saskatchewan sponsored the bill that was introduced on Tuesday. “It is upsetting to know that according to current standards, a person does not need to hold a permit to own a chimpanzee in some regions of Canada,” he lamented to explain the interest of his fee.

Elephants, for their part, are very intelligent animals that suffer when kept in captivity or presented to the public in an unnatural environment, added the senator in the second reading of the law on Thursday.

Minister Guilbeault announced the ban on the import of ivory from Elephant tusks and Rhino horns, including hunting trophies and articles carved from ivory, for which it is necessary to obtain a permit. Few exceptions are planned for museums and scientific research.

**Elephant ivory and rhino horn imports have been banned by Ottawa**

Tightening the laws

The law banning the captivity of great Apes and Elephants is part of a series of laws adopted to better protect animals in Canada and elsewhere in the world.

In 2019, Canada also banned the keeping of Whales and Dolphins in captivity.

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Scientists Have Uncovered The Cause Of The Mysterious Deaths Of 35 Elephants In Zimbabwe.

A dead Elephant found in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe, Aug. 29, 2020. Credit: AP Photo

Elephants that dropped dead in Zimbabwe were victims of an obscure bacteria combined with extreme heat. Scientists fear more Elephants – and other species – could suffer the same fate

No one knew precisely what caused the unexplained tragedy in which 35 African Elephants in Zimbabwe mysteriously dropped dead in August/September 2020.

This incident followed the death of approximately 350 Elephants in neighbouring northern Botswana from May to June 2020, which triggered much international concern.

**Aerial views of of some of the Elephants that were been found dead in Botswana Credit: National Park Rescue**

At first, anthrax was a possible contender, along with poaching or intentional poisoning, but they were all ruled out early on.

Three years later, a new study by a group of scientists has found that a rare bacterium that causes organ inflammation is responsible for the Elephants’ untimely deaths.

A variant of the Pasteurella bacteria, named Bisgaard taxon 45, was identified by the scientists in their study of samples from six of 15 dead Elephants that they analysed.

This variant of this bacteria showed up in their sample, making the scientists conclude that the Elephants died from the lethal infection.

At first, scientists reviewed the possibility of Pasteurella multocida, which is known to cause hemorrhagic septicemia, a common disease amongst cattle and buffaloes that is highly fatal.

However, after further testing, they found that the findings were more complicated than thought.

“It became clear from the culture samples that we did not have P. multocida but something else similar,” Laura Rosen, an epistemologist who worked on the study, said, according to Science News.

While samples from the other elephants were not obtained due to rotting or not being able to get permits quick enough, six of the samples they did get showed this rare bacteria.

Little is known about this bacteria, as a few rare cases have only been documented so far.

The study cites that Bisgaard taxon 45 has in the past been linked to bite wounds on humans from tigers and lions.

It was also previously found in a chipmunk and a captive health parrot.

However, the researchers suspect this is not the first time that an outbreak of the disease has caused mass fatalities within Elephants.

In 2019, 14 Elephants were found dead in Zimbabwe within the same time period as this group was a year later.

While no bacterial samples were taken at the time, the noted conditions of the deceased animals were similar to those of the 2020 group.

It is unclear what caused this bacteria to enter the Elephants’ body, whether it is part of its “normal flora,” but the researchers believe that stress and heat would have contributed to the outbreak.

“It’s premature to say that climate change has influenced [this], but it may do so in future if we get more and prolonged droughts, or the rainfall patterns [change] and we have a much harsher dry season,” Dr Chris Foggin, a researcher on the study said.

“I do think that if that is the case, then we are more likely to see this sort of mortality event occurring again.”

This study is essential for organisations that seek to conserve these Elephants, who are already an endangered species.

Earlier that same year, around 350 Elephants dropped dead within the space of three months in neighbouring Botswana.

**African Elephants are listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Credit: GMFER**

African Elephants are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, with only approximately 415,000 left in the wild as of 2023.

According to the World Elephant Day organization, Elephant numbers have dropped by 62% over the last decade. They estimate that 100 African Elephants are killed each day by poachers.

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As The Internet Went Into Meltdown Over The Killing Of Cecil The Lion By Minnesota Trophy Hunter Walter Palmer, Another Man Was Causing A Stir After A Photo Published In National Geographic Went Viral At The Same Time.

**Kerry and Libby Krottinger in their ‘Wall Of Death’ room**

Kerry Krottinger, a wealthy Texas hunter and businessman, has slaughtered so much African wildlife over the years that he amassed a veritable “wall of death” in his Dallas home. The National Geographic portrait depicts him sitting with his wife among the taxidermied bodies of Lions, Rhinos, Cheetah, Giraffes and enough Elephant tusks to open a traditional Chinese hospital.

The British-based charity LionAID, which uploaded the photo to their Facebook page, took a markedly dim view. “This is just one Texas trophy hunter with a ‘love’ of Africa,” they write. “Is it any wonder that Africa’s wildlife is disappearing? Just have a count of the various species displayed. Three Lions? So many Elephant tusks? A Giraffe? A Rhino? Kerry must be one of the leading CONservation hunters on the planet!”

Little is known about Krottinger’s personal life. Aside from being an energy millionaire with multiple companies to his name, he and his wife Libby operate a Gypsy horse farm called Ndugu Ranch. A website about the property had been taken offline, but a cache copy can be viewed here. A Facebook page also associated with the ranch was also taken down. Next to a smiling photo of the pair, Krottinger wrote he named the ranch after the Swahili word for “brother” or “family member,” and that the couple has “a great love for Africa.”

Krottinger’s kingly haul of animal carcasses was acquired through what’s known as “conservation hunting,” a practice that is supposedly designed to protect species by allowing people to hunt animals for a high fee that’s then to be used for other conservation efforts.

Far from poachers, conservations hunters — and the websites that promote them — see themselves as environmentalists. LionAID’s director Pieter Kat said the whole premise was nonsense.

“Conservation hunting is a complete myth,” he told Mic. “If conservation hunting had been effective, Cecil the Lion would not have to have been poached out of a national park, because conservation hunting would have maintained a viable and sustainable Lion population within their own trophy hunting concession.” According to Kat, steep fees like the more than $50,000 Palmer paid to kill Cecil typically end up in the pockets of tour operators. “Sustainable hunting does not sustain anything,” he said.

PETA president Ingrid Newkirk was blunter still. “The idea of killing animals to ‘protect’ their species is like having 5-year-olds build a child-labor museum,” she said in a statement to Mic. “True conservationists are the people who pay to keep animals alive through highly lucrative eco-tourism, not the power-hungry people who pay for the cheap thrill of taking magnificent animals’ lives and putting their heads on a wall.”

On Twitter, the response was one of almost universal disgust, with the photo generating near Cecil-levels of rage.

Kat was unapologetic about the Krottinger-shaming on LionAID’s Facebook page. “What we were trying to do there is to alert people to the fact that trophy hunters have this sort of enjoyment of their activity, and what we would like to expose to people is these sorts of people belong in the 19th century,” he said.

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The Emotional Moment Giraffes Hold ‘Funeral’ To Mourn For Member Of Their Herd Who Died During Childbirth That Drove Tourist To Tears

Photographer Callum Perry said: ‘It brought tears to my eyes – seeing the Giraffes’ journey to their fallen friend was one of the most emotional scenes I have ever seen.

**Incredible footage shows the moment a group of Giraffes come to pay their respects to one of their own who died during childbirth. Credit: Callum Perry.**

This incredible footage shows the moment a group of Giraffes come to pay their respects to one of their own who died during childbirth.

The group of Giraffes were captured on camera walking towards the corpse in a gathering filled with human emotions as they mourned and said goodbye to a member of their audience.

Photographer Callum Perry, 28, from Britain, who is currently traveling in South Africa, captured the rare moment in the Marataba Contractual National Park.

“The giraffe’s funeral made me take a step back and look at the beauty I’ve seen in my life, and that even in life’s most difficult moments, there can be silver linings.

**One by one the Giraffes pay their respects. Credit: Callum Perry.**

‘I was really fascinated by the emotion of this whole scene; words can hardly do it justice. I feel honored to have been there as they all paid their respects.

“Most of the people I know in the safari industry had never seen this happen before, so they were amazed and a little jealous.”

Photos show a group of more than five Giraffes examining the dead body as it lay on the ground.

In the video, a Giraffe is seen walking towards the dead member of their pack before being followed by others.

Giraffes Mourn The Death Of One Of Their Own Credit: Callum Perry.

One by one, each Giraffe bowed to send its beloved friend away.

Giraffes are thought to mourn their dead, as Zoe Muller, a wildlife biologist from the University of Bristol who founded the Rothschild’s Giraffe Project in Kenya, recalled a moment she witnessed more than a decade ago.

Muller said she saw 17 female Giraffes looking sad and that the pack traveled to a part of the savannah they don’t normally visit.

It turned out that a calf had died and Muller witnessed the group of Giraffes gathering at its mother and staying with her for two days after death.

She interpreted the Giraffes’ behavior as sadness, but she was afraid to say this because some scientists believe the opposite.

She said, as quoted in The National Wildlife Federation: “My personal position has changed. I would now be much more open about acknowledging non-human grief. Giraffes, humans, we are all mammals.

‘Our emotion system is largely driven by hormones, and hormones have probably evolved in the same way in all mammals.’

A similar incident happened to photographer Edward Selfe while tracking Thornicroft’s Giraffes in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.

He watched over a few days as a herd appeared to ‘mourn’ the loss of one of their number. A female died over complications with pregnancy and was quickly exploited by scavengers. But each day, the rest of the herd would stop and watch as the vultures squabbled and the hyaenas chewed on the remains. It’s anthropomorphism to suggest that it was mourning, but their curiosity certainly extended beyond simply observing something that caught their eye.

**A herd of Thornicroft’s Giraffes mourn the loss of one of their number. Credit: Edward Selfe.**

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Was Namibia’s Collared Black Maned Desert Lion Mwezi Illegally Killed By Trophy Hunters Aided By The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism?

**Black Maned Desert Lion Mwezi (XPL 107) Image Credit: Ingrid Mandt**

According to the Desert Lion conservation organization DELHRA (Desert Lions Human Relations Aid), it can be assumed that one of the last black-maned male desert lions, “Mwezi” or “XPL 107”, was ‘harvested’ as a trophy on Wednesday, October 11.

In a letter to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), DELHRA writes: “Having learned from reliable sources and informants that the male Lion, known as ‘Mwezi’, was allegedly shot, we would like to contact the ministry to know the circumstances and justification for such an alleged killing.”

According to the report, the tracking system of the satellite collar (which is supposed to protect her) was abused to locate the Lion in a protected area. “That is, in the Palmwag concession or, more likely, in the adjacent Skeleton Coast Park, by trophy hunters who were allegedly accompanied by MEFT officials.”

The Desert Lion Conservation Organization further states: “On October 12, we received a report from our informant in Khowarib that the Lion Rangers had received a warning SMS (this happens when a collared lion breaks through a geo-fence) indicating a Lion near the Wild Veld Safaris hunting camp in Khowarib village.” The investigation revealed that it was a dead Lion that had allegedly been kept in the hunting camp since the early evening of October 11.

**Black Maned Desert Lion Mwezi (XPL 107) Image Credit:** Desert Lion Conservation

According to Desert Lion Conservation, “Mwezi” was still observed and photographed on Sept. 27 when he mated with a lone Lioness, XPL 108, the last survivor of the Obab pride, and followed her into the Skeleton Coast Park, the tracks suggested.

According to DELAHRA, the investigation revealed that two vehicles – one from the MEFT and the other allegedly a hunting vehicle – had entered the Palmwag concession area, with the crew citing “police action” as the reason for the entry. “This coincided with the report coming out of Khowarib later that day, and we learned from a source that the dead lion in the Khowarib hunting camp was the beautiful black-maned desert Lion Mwezi, which had been sought as a trophy for some time.”

DELHRA is of the opinion that a criminal investigation that compels the release of the information will clear up this case and that the parties involved, if warranted, should be prosecuted, as a permit to hunt in the Palmwag concession or in the Skeleton Coast Park cannot have been lawfully granted, and that if it is granted for a hunt in a concession area, but is hunted in the Palmwag or Skeleton Coast Protected Areas, such a permit would be considered null and void.

The letter to MEFT further states: “Based on our information, we would welcome answers to our questions or even a joint and transparent investigation. We ask you to inform us of the following: Has the MEFT issued a trophy permit for hunting XPL 107? If so, could the MEFT please justify this? We ask for a copy of the hunting permit and a copy of the report of the MEFT officer who accompanied the hunting party. We also ask for a copy of the protocol of the website concerning the downloads of the positions of this Lion between September 1 and now by all users. Finally, we are asking for copies of reports of incidents in which XPL 107 may have been involved.”

It goes on to say: “We intend to file a complaint and contact the Information Access Officer and the Ombudsman, as the destruction of natural resources falls within the remit of these bodies in the event that the MEFT does not respond. In such a case, those who have access to the relevant information may be summoned as witnesses.”

The Ministry of the Environment had not responded to questions at the time of going to press.

**The Desert Lions Of Namibia Image Credit: Wilderness Travel**

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