ACTIVE RESCUES
“Saving one animal may seem small, but to that animal, it means everything.
Every act of care restores hope and reminds us of our shared responsibility
to a world where wildlife can thrive.”
ACTIVE RESCUES WE ARE AIDING
LION FOUND WANDERING STREETS LEBANON
STATUS: ACTIVE PREPARATION & FUNDRAISING
An Illegally kept lost young lion
When a young lion briefly escaped from a private farm in Lebanon, his recapture revealed a far more troubling reality: he had been illegally kept in captivity and desperately needed a safe place to go. Jason Mier of Animals Lebanon reached out to Heart of the Wild about the lion, bringing his situation to our attention. Together, we began exploring what it would take to give this young lion something he had never known — a chance to leave captivity behind and begin a new life in sanctuary. – The news is good.
MALNOURISHED LIONS IN CUBA
STATUS: PRE-PLANNING FOR IMMEDIATE FOOD & ULTIMATELY RESCUE
Horrendous and Heartbreaking Conditions of Lions
Heartbreaking images emerging from Cuba show lions in a devastating state of malnutrition, with reports of critical shortages of food, veterinary supplies and other necessities. These animals are paying the price for circumstances beyond their control, and Heart of the Wild cannot simply look away. We are looking for a way in — working through team member Andy Blue’s longstanding relationships in Cuba to reach the people caring for these lions, understand what they need and find a way to help.
BATIFA – THREE LEGGED RARE LEOPARD
STATUS: PRE-PLANNING / STUCK IN POLITICS
How much must one being endure?
Batifa, a critically endangered Persian leopard (and one of fewer than a thousand left on Earth), has spent more than two years living in a stark, unnatural enclosure at the Duhok Zoo in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq after losing a hind leg and several teeth in a villager’s trap—injuries that make his return to the wild impossible.
His rescue once drew global attention and lofty promises, but political barriers halted every attempt to relocate him, leaving him to endure constant stress, noise, and confinement – far from the life he deserves. Though recent improvements by our partner Andy Blue have eased his immediate suffering, they are only temporary. With red tape and politics by officials, Batifa still waits for the sanctuary he was promised. We are working to secure his move to a peaceful, natural home—where he can finally have the safe, dignified life he has been denied for far too long.
This leopard has survived the worst. Now he needs a chance at the life he deserves.
FOLLOW THE STORY HERE:
THREE LION CUBS IN LEBANON
COMPLETE!!!
STATUS: COMPLETE
Imagine never touching the earth, feeling the sun or being able to run and play.
Across the Middle East, the private ownership of lions is creating a hidden crisis—one where newborn cubs enter the world on cold concrete, surrounded by rusted wire and metal bars instead of the open landscapes they were meant to roam. Three four-month-old African lion cubs—one male and two females—are among the latest victims. Orphaned and living in a dusty, barren enclosure in Syria, they huddle together for warmth, with no shelter, no hiding place, and no escape from the constant human gaze. Thanks to the tireless work of Jason Meir and Animals Lebanon, these cubs now have the chance at a safer, more natural life—and Heart of the Wild is stepping up to help make it possible. Urgent donations are needed by Dec 1 – so the cubs can be moved Dec 10!
SUPPORT
THANK YOU !