Finding forever, ‘semi-wild’ homes to protect lions from exploitation and the Bone Trade

Finding forever, ‘semi-wild’ homes to protect lions from exploitation and the Bone Trade

by | Feb 1, 2019 | Campaign

Committed to ethical conservation, The Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation in Johannesburg works to support several Ethical Sanctuaries and Rehabilitation Centers across Southern Africa to ensure that Wildlife, including threatened or protected Species, get the help they need.

Having been approached by Governing Authorities, the organization has embarked on a new project to protect more than 20 captive-born, parent-reared lions, and find them safe, ethical, forever home sanctuaries. As the current facility is overcrowded, they will need to be relocated to ensure their survival.

Phase 1 of the project is already underway:

  • Vasectomies have been performed on two of the breeding-age males to ensure that they cannot father any cubs, and are protected from exploitation by the canned hunting and lion breeding industries.

  • Several lions have also received vaccinations, veterinary care and micro-chipping.
  • The lions have also been given additional shade while they wait to be rehomed.
  • The organization is also spending a lot of time and effort screening prospective homes to ensure ethical practices, and non-exploitative futures for the lions. 

“Currently the lions are in a safe, ethical, non-breeding facility, with no human interaction, but their numbers are exceeding the recommended saturation levels as instructed by Nature Conservation. Consequently, we have received instruction from the Authorities to find the excess lions suitable forever homes, rather than risking the lions being euthanized.”

Founder/Director of The Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation, Paul Oxton.

CJ Carrington and Paul Oxton, founding members of The Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation.

To continue the rescue operation, which will take several months to complete, the organisation has launched a crowdfunding campaign, called Life4Lions on donations based crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy. Thus far over R2300 has been raised towards their fundraising target of R27 500.

Funds raised will be used for Veterinary Procedures, Veterinary care and regular checks, Micro-Chipping, DNA sampling and recording, Vaccinations and Health Checks, and lastly, the Relocationand Transportation of these majestic creatures to their forever, ‘semi-wild homes’.

“These lions have the incredibly important job of being as happy and free as they can ever possibly be, without human interaction or exploitation. We have the incredibly important job of making it possible for them to do just that. There are just too many lions in captivity in South Africa, and the devastating reality is that far too many of them will end up being sold to canned hunting facilities, and be disposed of in the lion bone trade.”

To support this campaign, make a donation on BackaBuddy:

https://www.backabuddy.co.za/life4lions-phase-2

Alternatively, make a donation via Snapscan:

https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/life4lions-phase-2

Launch your own crowdfunding campaign

Zanele’s 648km Journey in aid of Suicide Prevention.

Zanele’s 648km Journey in aid of Suicide Prevention.

by | Jun 1, 2018 | Campaign, Impact

On the 18th of January 2018, Zanele Hlatshwayo (33) from Orlando West, Soweto founded, non-profit initiative, Rise18, a movement aimed at creating a dialogue around mental illness and suicide prevention.

At only 24 years old, Zanele faced a world of unanswered questions, when her father, Phillip Hlatshwayo, took his own life at the age of 47. To cope with the weight of her grief and the unbearable loss she experienced in losing her ‘hero’, Zanele found comfort in running.

“At first, I was running away from my pain. I couldn’t understand why my father had to leave me. I was angry, broken and ashamed that the strongest man I’ve ever known took his own life. But eventually, running became a coping mechanism for me. Now it has become my sacred space where I get to heal, clear my head, but most of all where I get to conquer” – says Zanele

“I decided to rise and raise awareness about depression and suicide: silent killers that are scourging our beautiful country. I want to demystify mental illness and create a dialogue so that people no longer have to suffer in silence. If my BackaBuddy campaign saves one life, my purpose on this earth would have been fulfilled.” – says Zanele.

Zanele has thus far completed 15 races totaling 389km. Asked about the most challenging leg of her journey, Zanele made mention of the Kosmos 3 in 1 (73km), a race she completed despite sustaining a back injury.

“I was worried that I wasn’t going to finish the race, but with the support of the crowds of spectators running along side of me every step of the way I was able to pull through. I was once again reminded that as much as this is my personal journey, this is also about the hundreds of families like mine who have lost a loved one due to suicide.” – says Zanele

In a few days, Zanele will take on the 89 km Comrades marathon , A 10 km send off race on the 8th of July, and finally the mammoth Washie Miller, a distance of 160 km.

“This will be my third time running the Comrades and this year will be particularly special. It was the race that made me realize that anything is possible if you have an ounce of passion and that has given me the confidence to take on the Washie!” – says Zanele

With her last marathon, Zanele would have run a total of 648km, not including the vigorous amount of training it has taken to have come this far.

“This journey has been a physical and emotional rollercoaster, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It has been a healing experience in the way I didn’t expect. I found strength in my vulnerability and found a way to deal with my father’s tragedy through those who have shared their pain with me. I believe with Rise18, we have just scratched the surface, there is still so much that needs to be done”

Zanele is currently a video specialist at Google and holds a Masters of Management degree in Strategic Marketing from Wits Business school.

To support Zanele, donate to her campaign here

Nkini Phasa, SADAG‘s spokesperson, addresses challenges faced by the organisation.

 

If you, or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please contact SADAG’s Suicide Helpline (0800 567 567)