Friday, July 11, 2014

Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild


New Homes for Lions and Leopards at Shamwari

The Born Free Foundation has started a programme of upgrades to our lion and leopard enclosures at Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa, replacing the fencing and creating new houses and hospital camps.  The first to benefit will be Achee and Ma Juah, our two disabled lions who have nerve and skeletal damage as a result of poor early diets – but who are able to get much pleasure from their life at Shamwari.

They were darted on 10th June and transferred to temporary accommodation in an empty camp at our Julie Ward Centre on the reserve.   Initially they were unsettled at waking up in strange surroundings, but as you can see from the photo, they are very relaxed about it now! 

Old fencing has been taken down, and on 1st July the ground was excavated to create the site for a new house and hospital camp such as enjoyed by Brutus and Marina – they choose to spend many hours in theirs.  These houses will be much warmer in winter and cooler in summer than the current field shelters.

Next to be darted have been the leopard triplets, Sami, Alam and Nimira, found as motherless cubs in Sudan.  On 3rd July they were taken to an empty enclosure at our Jean Byrd Centre in the north of the reserve, and they too settled quickly into their temporary home.  We are grateful to Virginia Lundin and friends for helping with the costs of the triplets’ new facilities.
The fences come down in Achee and Ma Juah's enclosure
Achee and Ma Juah relaxing in their temporary accommodation
Ground being prepared for the new hospital camp and shelter
Brutus and Marina choose to spend a lot of time in their hospital camp and house
 
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