Five tigers who have spent years performing in a Spanish travelling circus are making their way to the Isle of Wight Zoo to find sanctuary and expert care.
Natasha, Zoppa, Antonella, Girona and Mondo were given up by the circus amid the growing public backlash around performing animals. They were taken in by Spain’s AAP Foundation, which quarantines and rehabilitates circus animals, and the Isle of Wight Zoo has stepped in to provide their forever home.
Isle of Wight Zoo is part of The Wildheart Trust. The zoo provides accommodation and care for big cats and exotic animals - supporting rescue projects and raising awareness of the plight of animals in the circus and illegal pet trade.
The Wildheart Trust founder, Charlotte Corney, said: “We’re so pleased to be providing this vital lifeline to these tigers. The conditions endured by circus animals can be horrific. Things you can’t believe are still happening in this so-called enlightened age and while we continue to campaign and pursue an end to such cruelty, we know the animals we rescue will have a happy retirement.”
The zoo team are busy constructing new facilities to enable the zoo to accommodate the tigers as well as mounting a major fundraising campaign to support this and future rescue work. Anyone concerned about the plight of circus animals and wishing to help can donate at: www.justgiving.com/wildheart-foundation.
Related Members
-
NewsTrentham Monkey Forest Celebrates Births of TWO Endangered Barbary Macaques 13th May, 2024Trentham Monkey Forest is excited to announce the first baby arrivals of the year as two newborn Barbary macaques have been born within the past few weeks…
-
NewsDudley Zoo and Castle receives autism-friendly accreditation 13th May, 2024Dudley Zoo and Castle has been officially accredited for its work in making its 40-acre site more inclusive for those with sensory needs. The Midlands…
-
NewsBlog: A bunch of blokes having a chat over a brew 12th May, 2024Rebecca Reynolds, Head of Education, Conservation and Research, shares the healing benefits of a wellbeing programme at Blackpool Zoo: The World…