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.

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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.”

ROMEO

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

First Scientific Record As An Orangutan In Sumatra Treats An Open Wound With A Poultice Made From A Medicinal Plant.

An Orangutan in Sumatra surprised scientists when he was seen treating an open wound on his cheek with a poultice made from a medicinal plant. It’s the first scientific record of a wild animal healing a wound using a plant with known medicinal properties. The findings were published this week in Scientific Reports1.

Rakus used leaves from a liana climbing vine known to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Photograph: Saidi Agam/Suaq Project

“It shows that Orangutans and humans share knowledge. Since they live in the same habitat, I would say that’s quite obvious, but still intriguing to realize,” says Caroline Schuppli, a primatologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior in Konstanz, Germany, and a co-author of the study.

In 2009, Schuppli’s team was observing Sumatran Orangutans (Pongo abelii) in the Gunung Leuser National Park in South Aceh, Indonesia, when a young male moved into the forest. He did not have a mature male’s big cheek pads, called flanges, and was probably around 20 years old, Schuppli says. He was named Rakus, or ‘greedy’ in Indonesian, after he ate all the flowers off a gardenia bush in one sitting.

In 2021, Rakus underwent a growth spurt and became a mature flanged male. The researchers observed Rakus fighting with other flanged males to establish dominance and, in June 2022, a field assistant noted an open wound on his face, possibly made by the canines of another male, Schuppli says.

Days later, Rakus was observed eating the stems and leaves of the creeper akar kuning, which local people use to treat diabetes, dysentery and malaria, among other conditions. Orangutans in the area rarely eat this plant.

Leaves from the akar kuning variety of liana climbing vines. Photograph: Saidi Agam/Suaq Project

In addition to eating the leaves, Rakus chewed them without swallowing and used his fingers to smear the juice on his facial wound over seven minutes. Some flies settled on the wound, whereupon Rakus spread a poultice of leaf-mash on the wound. He ate the plant again the next day. Eight days after his injury, his wound was fully closed.

The research group has seen no other orangutans in the national park self-medicate using akar kuning in 21 years of observation. This could be because wild Orangutans in the region are rarely injured. Or perhaps Rakus is the only one who knows of this treatment, which could be a behaviour he picked up before he moved into the area.

Rakus with his open wound, two days before he was observed applying a poultice of medicinal leaves. Credit: Armas

“It is the first study to scientifically demonstrate that an animal is using a plant with medicinal properties applicable to wounds, and putting those on the wounds and consistently treating over a period of time,” says Michael Huffman, who studies animal self-medication at the Institute for Tropical Medicine at Nagasaki University in Japan.

Huffman says self-medication is seen in many species. Canadian Snow Geese swallow leaves whole to expel tape worms. Dusky-footed Wood Rats line their nests with aromatic plants to fumigate parasites. And Chimpanzees in Gabon have been observed rubbing insects near their wounds, potentially as treatment.

Humans might even have discovered some remedies by watching animals, he says. “Probably our ancestors were looking at other animals and learning about medicines.” When social animals communicate, “that information sticks and can last over generations”.

  1. Laumer, I. B. et al. Sci. Rep. Active Self-Treatment Of A Facial Wound With A Biologically Active Plant By A Male Sumatran Orangutan

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 make our work possible.

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.

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 make our work possible.

Donate Here: Please Help Animals In Need

They Spent Years Locked In A Train Carriage In Argentina. Now The Four Tigers, Known As The ‘Train Tigers’, Can Feel The Grass Beneath Their Feet.

The train carriage that was ‘home’ to four Bengal Tigers. Credit: Four Paws/Nicolas Cabona.

The four Bengal Tigers, who lived 15 years in a train carriage in Argentina, have now been at their new home in South Africa for two years.

FAMILY OF FOUR

In 2007, a travelling circus abandoned the 18-year-old male and 15-year-old female Tiger in a train carriage in San Luis province in the west of Argentina. The circus asked a local farmer to temporarily take care of them, but never returned. The animals remained in the train carriage and had two babies.

The farmer didn’t inform the authorities of the situation given that it is illegal to keep wild animals privately in Argentina and simply tried to take care of them as best he could.

PRISON. Credit: Four Paws/Hristo Vladev

In 2021, Argentinian authorities became aware of the bad living conditions of the Tigers and began looking for solutions for the animals.

FOUR PAWS TO THE RESCUE

By February 2022, through the bars of their cages, the four Tigers had watched the sunrise over the meadow more than 5,000 times. Freedom had always been right in front of them, yet so far away.

The cages were barely larger than the size of two parking spaces and were part of an old train carriage – unfit for any animal. In the beginning, it was only two of them. Then two cubs were born, who are 10 years old today. They were trapped behind bars in dirty conditions, with little space to move on a train wagon – which has been stood still since then.

Animal welfare organization Four Paws rescued Sandro, Mafalda, Messi and Gustavo from their cages and transferred them to LionsRock Big Cat Sanctuary.

Veterinarians of Four Paws spent weeks on-site to prepare the Tigers with positive reinforcement so that the transfer would be as safe as possible for the animals.

“These Tigers spent over 15 years in the same 75m² space, surrounded by the same landscape and without any stimulation of their instincts or natural behaviour. Our team needed to be around them so they would stay calm in our presence and during the transfer,” Four Paws veterinarian Amir Khalil, who led the rescue mission, said.

The Tigers had to be taken out of their cages, moved into transport crates and on a truck to the airport, flown from Argentina to South Africa, and taken off the airport on trucks to their new home. The total journey took more than 70 hours.

At LionsRock, Mafalda took a little time before leaving her transport crate, but the three other Tigers started to explore the new surroundings almost immediately, Four Paws said.

Mafalda hesitantly enters her new life of freedom. Credit: Four Paws

“These Tigers have never felt grass or earth under their paws. It’s the first time they can see the sky above them, not just metal bars and a roof,” Khalil said.

“Now they have hundreds of square meters full of new feelings, tastes and smells. It is overwhelming for them to be in a completely new environment, but animals are quick at adapting to better living conditions,” he added.

Messi and Sandro enjoying their freedom. Credit: Four Paws/Daniel Born

“The road to rehabilitation for these animals now begins,” Hildegard Pirker, who manages LionsRock Big Cat Sanctuary, said

There are only around 3,900 Tigers left in the wild, Four Paws said, adding that due to a lack of regulations, Tigers are kept in captivity and traded around the world for human entertainment and killed for their skin, fur, bones, and teeth.

The Train Tigers of Argentina – two years on. Credit: Four Paws.

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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.

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When A Three-Year-Old Toddler Fell Into A Zoo Enclosure In 1996 He Was Rescued – By A Gorilla.

Days after a young boy fell into the gorilla exhibit at the Cincinnati zoo — prompting the zoo’s decision to shoot and kill Harambe, a 17-year-old Gorilla — an archived video emerged showing a similar incident 20 years earlier, with a very different outcome.

Binti Jua gently cradles the young boy

In summer 1996, a 3-year-old boy slipped away from his mother and squeezed through a barrier at Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, plummeting more than 15 feet into the enclosure holding  seven Gorillas. Gorillas are known to be fiercely territorial animals. They will fight to the death to defend their families.

However, one of the Gorillas, a rare Western Lowland Gorilla called Binti Jua, meaning “daughter of sunshine” went over to the boy and cradled him in her arms, all while her own young child Koola was on her back. She then went over to the edge of the enclosure and waited for the zookeepers to come and collect the child. Binti handed the child over peacefully before returning to the rest of the Gorillas.

An ABC News broadcast of the drama that unfolded at Brookfield Zoo.

Binti received worldwide praise. The boy and the mother have never been identified, but the boy did stay in a hospital for 4 days. Animal behavioral experts claim Binti used her maternal instincts to look after the child. This may have been influenced by the fact that she had her own baby Gorilla with her at the time.

Binti Jua feeding one of her babies.

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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 make our work possible.

Theme Park History: The Dark Story Of Thomas Edison And The Electrocution Of Topsy The Elephant For Murder

Topsy The Elephant

Much has been written about the controversial movie Blackfish, the 2013 film that vilified SeaWorld for use of captive orcas. Many in the theme park community have attacked the movie as a hit piece, while others in the anti-animal captivity community used it as a call to arms. But for all the discussion and passion that the movie generated, history tells us that this issue is as old as the industry itself. If told completely, this story shines a different kind of light on the culture of the times, and also on an iconic figure in American history. Once upon a time, a 110 years before Blackfish and Tilikum there was another movie, and an Elephant named Topsy.

Sometime around 1875, Topsy was smuggled as a baby out of Asia and brought into America to perform in the Forepaugh circus. Billed as the first “American born elephant,” she became the star of the show. Like many circus performers at the time, she was subject to harsh treatment during training sessions. Trainers of the time were vicious towards the animals in their attempts to control them, prodding the elephants with sharp hooks between the eyes and in the head. Beatings, hot pokers, and even guns were also common methods of training. By most accounts, Topsy was one of the fan favorites. Behind the scenes though, she endured years of harsh treatment. Her crooked tail was a point of emphasis with promoters. In reality, it was the result of a particularly severe beating. Over the years, her temper became shorter and shorter, and she attacked several handlers and was reportedly responsible for the deaths of three of them. In 1902, one particular (alcoholic) trainer named James Fielding Blount foolishly met his end. After a night of heavy drinking, Blount went into the elephant tent and offered Topsy a drink of whiskey. Her refusal angered Blount, who reportedly then stuck a lit cigar on the tip of her trunk. He was then promptly thrown down and crushed.

After this highly-publicized incident, Topsy was then sold to Coney Island amusement operator Paul Boynton. When Boynton sold his operation to the founders of Luna Park, Topsy and her trainer were part of the sale. Luna Park was under construction at the time, so for a brief time she was put to work hauling loads of building material. After a new site for the “Trip to the Moon” attraction was cleared, the workers tried, but simply couldn’t move the massive structure to its new location. Topsy was called upon to do the job. With the help of a few horses, she pushed the building nearly a mile to its new location. Police arrested one of her handlers that day after observing “excessive” use of a sharp object to prod the elephant. Her trainers reportedly kept a pitchfork handy. He was tried for animal cruelty but later was acquitted because the amount of prodding was deemed acceptable. Subsequent incidents and moments of aggression occurred, all under the watchful eye of the press. The final straw came when trainer Whitey Ault got drunk and decided to ride Topsy down Surf Avenue. When Whitey was arrested and taken to the station, Topsy followed them down the street and then tried to go into the police station behind them. Whitey was fired for this incident, leaving nobody on the staff that could handle Topsy. With costs of her care high and no one to take care of the elephant, Luna Park owners Thompson and Dundy tried to get rid of her. However, all the bad press over the past year had tarnished the elephant’s reputation. No zoo would take her, no show would have her. They tried to raffle her off, then to give her away for free, but had no success. After exhausting many options, the decision was then made to euthanize Topsy.

Topsy

Killing a 10-foot tall, three-ton elephant in 1903 wasn’t a simple proposition, let alone doing so in a quick and humane way. They didn’t have a gun big enough to quickly do the job, and even though it had been done to other elephants before, the idea of hanging her was thrown out.

edison-elephant-hp-orig
Thomas Edison

The owners of Luna Park turned to inventor Thomas Edison, who by 1903 had fought and lost the “battle of the currents” for the electricity standard to be used in the United States. Edison’s direct current (DC) methods had been used extensively at first, but the more efficient alternating current (AC) method, invented by Nikola Tesla and backed by industrial giant George Westinghouse, had gained traction and was becoming the standard for distribution. Trying to keep his standard intact (and preservation of the royalties), Edison had engaged in a propaganda war, discouraging the use of AC by lobbying Congress, spreading false rumors and misinformation, and staging public demonstrations of its danger by electrocuting stray and unwanted animals. For a time his technicians were regularly dispatched for this matter, killing dogs and cats, and in some cases horses and cows. He commissioned a partner to develop the electric chair for the state of New York with AC current, even though he himself was reportedly an opponent of capital punishment.

Edison’s “experience” with the matter and his standing as an authority on electricity prompted Thompson and Dundy to call. Even though the current war was over, he apparently for one reason or another couldn’t resist the opportunity to demonstrate the “dangers” of AC one more time…this time on the largest land animal in the world. Some say he was still fighting the war in his own mind, others say Edison still harbored a grudge from the loss and participated out of vindictiveness. Whichever the case, he signed on to do it, and he would document the whole thing with another one of his inventions, the movie camera.

In another sign of the times, the ever-enterprising owners of Luna Park knew the attention the story had gotten, and they initially intended to charge admission for the public execution. The press coverage though had also attracted the attention of the SPCA, who flatly refused to allow that to happen. In turn, the admission fee idea was thrown out, but the public would still be allowed to watch. By this time, Topsy had been characterized in the press like a convicted killer condemned to death, and so the people came to watch.

The 'execution' of Topsy

The ‘execution’ of Topsy the Elephant

The execution date was set for January 4, 1903. A crowd of about thousand gathered in the courtyard of the half-finished Luna Park to witness the spectacle. Topsy’s old trainer Whitey Ault was offered a then handsome sum of $25 to help bring the Elephant to her demise, but the saddened trainer turned it down, saying he wouldn’t do it for a thousand. With no qualified people to handle her, leading a very docile Topsy to the platform proved difficult. She wouldn’t cross the bridge to the middle of the lagoon. After technicians moved the wood and metal platform to her, she wouldn’t stand in place, then she shook off the electrodes that were hooked to her, and then refused to eat the cyanide laced carrots that were offered to her…almost as if she knew what was going on. After some coaxing, Topsy finally ate the carrots and the switch was thrown.

She died almost instantly, and almost took one of the Edison technicians with her. He was also electrocuted when he threw the switch. Even though she had already been pronounced dead, workers tightened a noose around her neck for ten minutes to make sure. SPCA doctors on hand pronounced it as the most humane way to kill an animal they had ever seen, and Edison had his documentary. The film “Electrocuting An Elephant” depicted the first actual death on screen, and was seen by audiences across the country. A part of it remains intact online [warning: disturbing images] for the curious to view. Ultimately, the film did nothing to either advance his agenda or raise any kind of awareness for animal cruelty. Audiences of the time were simply more interested in the novelty of the motion picture, the spectacle, and being entertained. Perhaps some things haven’t really changed after all.

Ultimately, Topsy’s story provides a bit of perspective on today’s state of affairs. Her story of a systematic life of abuse in the circus and the spectacle surrounding her death is the true epitome of animal cruelty. Topsy was not the only circus animal of the time to endure this kind of treatment, to be killed, or to kill a human being, but she was the most well known and well documented. Her brief role in the early theme park industry as well as American history makes the story worth telling, however horrible it may be. As for today, the debate continues. People may or may not agree with the use of marine animals in a theme park, but SeaWorld’s animal treatment methods, and its practices of conservation, animal rescue and rehabilitation, research, and education stand in stark contrast to the brutality of the Forepaugh circus and its contemporaries.

For years there were reports of ghost sightings, but the story of Topsy largely disappeared for a long time. In recent years Topsy has reappeared in pop culture, namely the television show Bob’s Burgers and the 2009 video game Assassin’s Creed II. A book about Topsy and the early American circus written by Michael Daly was published in 2013. A memorial dedicated to her sits in the Coney Island museum.

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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 make our work possible.

37 Years After The Chernobyl Disaster, Cameras Show Wildlife Is Thriving Again.

Chernobyl has become a refuge for wildlife 37 years after the nuclear accident

The Chernobyl disaster happened on April 26, 1986. The city of Pripyat was evacuated, but animals remained in the area. Over 37 years later, some species have thrived, others have been severely affected, and even new species have been introduced. But how did these animals respond to radiation exposure? What were the effects of living in and around the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone?

The explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine sent a radioactive cloud across Europe. Within weeks, nearly 100,000 people who lived in a large zone surrounding the disaster site had been evacuated, never to return to the poisoned land.

Today, the relics of their past — hollowed-out hotels, empty swimming pools, crumbling farming villages and oxidized ferris wheels — stand in ghostly abandonment across a contaminated region larger than Rhode Island

But time has not stood still. Nature has reclaimed the area, and new photographic data show the 1,600 square-mile Chernobyl Exclusion Zone is now “basically an incredibly large sanctuary” for animals large and small.

Wildlife in the area surrounding Chernobyl seems to be thriving in the radiation-contaminated exclusion zone, according to a new study. Many large mammal populations were found in the area including Grey Wolves, Wild Boar, Red Deer, Roe Deer, Moose, Bison, Red Foxes and Elk.

CHERNOBYL dn28281-1_800The study, published in the journal Current Biology, finds that a nuclear disaster may be less threatening to wildlife than habitation, reports The Los Angeles Times.

The results show that the exclusion zone supports wildlife, “regardless of potential radiation effects on individual animals,” the study authors wrote.

CHERNOBYL Bison drink on the Belarus side of the Chernobyl exclusion zoneThese results demonstrate for the first time that, regardless of potential radiation effects on individual animals, the Chernobyl exclusion zone supports an abundant mammal community after nearly three decades of chronic radiation.

The 1986 Chernobyl incident was one of the world’s most catastrophic nuclear disasters. An explosion and a fire at the nuclear power plant in Ukraine released radioactive material into the air, which spread over several countries. An estimated 116,000 people were permanently evacuated from the 1,622 square-mile Chernobyl exclusion zone.

chernobyl-wildlife-camera-trapsThe study shows that the numbers of wildlife are “much higher than they were before the accident,” according to BBC News.

Professor Jim Smith of the University of Portsmouth said that these findings do “not mean that radiation is good for wildlife.” Rather, the “effects of human habitation, including hunting, farming, and forestry, are a lot worse,” explained Smith, lead author of the study.

It’s just that the effects of human habitation, including hunting, farming, and forestry, are a lot worse.

Smith and his colleagues from the Polesky State Radioecological Reserve in Belarus examined data from aerial surveys that counted the large mammals in the area. The number of these animals “in Chernobyl is similar to the populations in uncontaminated nature reserves,” Smith said.

The numbers of animals we see in Chernobyl is similar to the populations in uncontaminated nature reserves.

CHERNOBYL 6941f354-85f5-47fc-81b8-7d6bfbfe38fc.format_jpeg.inline_yesMost surprising was the number of wolves in the exclusion zone – up to seven times higher than the number on nature reserves of a similar size. Smith attributes this to the lack of hunting – and humans – in the area.

The study of the exclusion zone shows what happens to wildlife conservation “when you take humans out of the picture,” said Smith.

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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 make our work possible.

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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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 make our work possible.

A Poacher’s Attack: Through The Eyes Of A Rhino Calf

As the number of Rhinos killed by poachers keep rising and more traumatized orphaned calves are in need of care, Kirsten Everett, a volunteer at Nikela, takes us on a touching journey as she looks at the horrors of a poacher attack though the eyes of a young Rhino calf.

LIMPOPO, SOUTH AFRICA: Karen Trendler cares for Ntombi, a two-month old White Rhino. Ntombi survived a brutal attack, when poachers killed her mother earlier in the week. She sustained severe head injuries and was cared for in a rhino orphanage. Credit: Kevin Sutherland.

“My mother and I were contently filling our hungry stomachs when we heard a strange noise. I carried on eating but she smelt the air for unknown scents. I saw the terrified look in her eye before she managed to control it; the unnatural smell meant something. A few minutes later we heard the ‘whop, whop’ of a metal monster flying closer towards us. Just when my mother focussed on it the men crept out of the bushes with a crunch of sticks. Something seemed to hit her and she grunted in surprise. The birds abandoned their posts heading away from the danger. I stood helplessly as she tried to run but ended up falling to the ground. The men surrounded her and tried to chase me away. I ran forward scared enough to not care about the men as they had done something to my mother, I needed her and they must go away.

Out of nowhere one of the big men spun on me and hit me hard with something sharp. Blood oozed from my wound as my mother answered my cry for help with a weak beg, ‘Away, away’. I backed away nursing my wound, how could I get to her?? She grunted again so I didn’t give up. I ran forward again but this time the angry man was merciless, determined to get his message across. As quietly as possible I took the cuts to my poor head trying not to worry my mother even more.

Confused I backed away into the bushes calling to her to get up, but the eerie silence dragged on and she didn’t move a muscle. Fear glued me to the floor as I felt my young heart pulsing with anger and fear. A breeze blew, as I waited for the monsters to go so I could go to my poor mommy and find out what was wrong. My heart skipped a beat when I realised this was what my cousin had gone through only a full moon ago. It was terrible, my body couldn’t stop shaking and I couldn’t think clearly, I felt lightheaded from all my blood loss.

Finally when the monsters left I ran to her side, ‘Mom wake up.’ My voice cracked with emotion but still she didn’t respond. I took a step back and saw the pool of blood. Her horn had been brutally cut off and she lay lifeless. Above me a crow flew over.

I turned to run then I asked myself some important questions… where would I go? I wasn’t old enough to know the way to the dam yet. Who would protect me from predators? The truth was that I wasn’t strong enough to survive by myself yet. Would I be with my mother in the sky sooner than I thought? The last question scared me the most; out in the wild without my mother I might just be able to survive a week.

I heard the snap of a twig, I wasn’t alone. This time I didn’t have the strength to care what these humans wanted with me. I collapsed and slept for a few hours. I was almost completely unconscious though I sensed kindness near me. Too traumatised to do anything I lay as they treated my wounds. The people who tried to comfort me planted a seed of hope. Hope that I could survive and hope that the rest of the human race would come to its senses and help my species and all the others out there”.

Let’s stop the babies’ cries! Let’s Save The Last Rhin0!

Written by Kirsten Everett. Based loosely on the story of “Ntombi” who was rescued by Karen Trendler and her team.

Ntombi bears the poacher’s scars

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP ANIMALS IN NEED

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PLEASE 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.

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 make our work possible.