Do something good, help save a lion

Since 2003 SanWild has cared for and looked after three prides of rescued lions. Over the years we have managed to overcome all the financial obstacles and have managed to secure funding to feed and care for the lions. However it seems that the growing international financial crisis has finally reached our sanctuary and to date very little funding has been secured from our various appeals to continue to feed the lions.

Unfortunately not being able to raise sufficient funding has resulted in SanWild running up feeding bills with our supplier hoping to secure donor funding for the lions. To date no positive feedback has been received from the various organizations to which funding appeals have been sent out.

At the trustees meeting yesterday a very difficult decision had to be made in the best interest of all the SanWild animals. The lions have been given another week and should we fail to raise funding by 28th February 2009, all the lions sadly will have to be euthanized as we will be left with no other option.

Unfortunately these animals cannot fend for themselves and their lives are in your and our hands. We have done what we possibly can, but now it will be up to the goodwill of other animal charities and individuals that will determine the future of our lions. SanWild can no longer afford to carry the financial burden alone and we need to find long term solutions as soon as possible and urgent action in the short-term.

We have put up this sponsorship page with photographs of the various SanWild lions, see photos below. We will create an on-line sponsorship option on our interactive website at www.sanwild.com You can also donate via a direct banking transfer.

To save a lion on-line (and in this case you will actually save their lives, it will not just be idle words) you need to go to the Sponsor / Donate page at www.sanwild.com and use the drop down box to find the lion of your choice. There you will be able to sponsor the lion of your choice for the next three to six months. The various options can be found under “Save a lion – Lutalo” or “Save a lion – Bombi”. All the lions will be listed individually under this on-line sponsorship option.

The amount needed to feed a single lion for a month comes to $400 US.

Any and all sponsorships will be helpful and more than one person can sponsor the same lion, this will also help to share the cost. So if you have a book club or just a great group of friends and you all want to club together to sponsor a lion this option could work for you.

Once you have agreed to sponsor a lion, your photograph and name will go up on our main website alongside YOUR lion and the donations received from you on a monthly basis will be reflected here as well. Should you choose to remain anonymous that is also okay and we will simply put up a note saying “I have been sponsored” next to YOUR LION.

As soon as a sponsor has been received to take over the lions long term care you will be notified and you can choose stop your sponsorship of the individual lion you have chosen or you can continue your sponsorship of the same lion or even another. Please email us at louise@sanwild.org with your sponsorship details either by using the on-line credit card option or by means of direct banking transfer into our trust account at:

SanWild Banking Details: ABSA, Danie Joubert Street, Tzaneen, SOUTH AFRICA. The account number is 9111221180, Branch Code 334349, Swift Code ABSAZAJJ, Iban Code ZA632005.

The future of the SanWild lions will be determined by 16 people out there who will care enough to adopt and feed these magnificent creatures! Please find it in your heart and soul to step up to the challenge and save a lion’s life.

Here are a few of the lions..

Aisha

Aroha

Babetwa

Bombi

See the rest of the lions here..