Rescued Animals go back to the Jungle with Help from Peru’s Armed Forces
Dozens of native wildlife saved relocated to Amazon sanctuary in ADI mission
Animal Defenders International (ADI) has teamed up with Peru’s armed forces to relocate almost forty wild animals to new homes in the Amazon rainforest. The animals were saved from circuses and the illegal wildlife trade as part of ADI’s groundbreaking rescue mission, Operation Spirit of Freedom.
The Air Force and Navy were called in to help ADI transport 39 rescued animals by land, air and river at the request of First Lady Mrs. Nadine Heredia. Several species of monkey, coatis and kinkajous – both small forest-dwelling mammals of the raccoon family – were flown over 600 miles from ADI’s Spirit of Freedom rescue center in Lima to Iquitos by a brand new C27J Spartan jet, courtesy of the Peruvian Air Force. The animals then journeyed by boat down the Amazon River from a Navy dock. Rescuers formed a human chain to take the animals on the final part of their journey into the jungle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcm4tvc8G5Y&feature=youtu.be
ADI is no stranger to major animal relocations, having previously relocated 29 lions to the USA, but describe this as one of the most challenging relocations ever.
ADI President Jan Creamer said, “The grueling 15-hour relocation operation began at 2am, and we raced against a tight schedule to catch and load the monkeys, coatis and kinkajous into their travel crates. We travelled by road, air and river across Peru to reach the animals’ forever home in the Amazon rainforest. Our team gave the animals treats and held nervous individuals’ hands to keep them calm during the flight. All the animals were torn from the wild, so it was magical to take them back to the jungle. After Pepe the spider monkey was released, he gave me a big hug before heading out into the trees. One by one, all the animals scampered from their crates into their wonderful new homes.”
ADI has been working in incredibly difficult conditions in the rainforest for the past three months to construct new habitats at Pilpintuwasi sanctuary located in the Amazon rainforest. The animals will spend the rest of their lives living as close as possible to how they would in the wild, in lush, semi-captive habitats built and funded by ADI.
The successful completion of this complex relocation marks the beginning of the final stage of a historic rescue mission. ADI’s Operation Spirit of Freedom is the biggest rescue and enforcement operation of its kind, and has seen Peru’s circuses emptied of its wild animals over the past eight months.
“Many of these animals were snatched from their families in the wild and it is incredibly moving to see them back in the jungle where they belong” said ADI President Jan Creamer, who is leading the mission. “Our utmost thanks go to Peru’s First Lady, the armed forces, the authorities, Pilpintuwasi and our supporters who have made this complex mission possible. Our biggest challenge lies ahead – airlifting Cholita the bear and 34 big cats to the US – please help us get them there by making a donation today.”
Almost 80 animals have been rescued from circuses and the illegal wildlife trade as part of ADI’s Operation Spirit of Freedom so far. The mission will culminate with the Spirit of Freedom flight in June – a huge airlift of 33 lions, a tiger and a bear. The animals are destined for The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado where large acreage habitats are being prepared for them. Operation Spirit of Freedom is expected to cost ADI over $1.2 million, with the biggest single cost being the airlift to the US, for which the organization has launched an international appeal for funds.
ADI will continue to work in partnership with Pilpintuwasi sanctuary and has committed to continue to fund the animals’ care.
Please donate to help ADI care for the native wild animals in their new home and complete Operation Spirit of Freedom: https://www.secure.adi-navs-ldf.org/donate.asp?id=1430&cachefixer=or 323-935-2234.
Animal relocation
Video https://vimeo.com/126015960
Images http://www.4shared.com/folder/bwiYjKRN/Monkey_Flight.html
Operation Spirit of Freedom
Footage http://youtu.be/cNFICfbyHCw
Information http://www.ad-international.org/SpiritofFreedom
South America circus bans
A two year undercover investigation by ADI from 2005 to 2007 led five countries in South America to ban wild animal circus acts – Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay and Colombia. In Central America, Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, and Costa Rica have also passed bans. Peru’s ban on wild animals in circuses was passed in 2012 following a successful campaign launched in 2007 by ADI and backed by local animal protection groups. Bolivia was the first South American country to ban wild animals in circuses and ADI was called in after most circuses defied the law. During its ‘Operation Lion Ark’ enforcement mission ADI raided eight illegal circuses in Bolivia rescuing all the animals including horses, dogs, coatis, monkeys, baboons and lions. ADI flew 25 lions to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado and 4 lions to California. The rescue is the subject of the multi-award-winning film Lion Ark. In August 2014, ADI began working with the Peruvian authorities to enforce its animal circus ban in a mission known as ‘Operation Spirit of Freedom’.
National restrictions on performing animals in travelling circuses, either wild, all animals, or in a handful of cases specific species have been enacted in 31 countries – Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, India, Israel, Malta, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden, Taiwan, The Netherlands. Similar laws are under discussion in the UK, USA, Brazil and Chile.
Animal Defenders International
With offices in London, Los Angeles, Lima and Bogota, ADI campaigns across the globe on animals in entertainment, providing technical advice to governments, securing progressive animal protection legislation, drafting regulations and rescuing animals in distress. ADI has a worldwide reputation for providing video and photographic evidence exposing the behind-the-scenes suffering in industry and supporting this evidence with scientific research on captive wildlife and transport. ADI rescues animals all over the world, educates the public on animals and environmental issues. www.ad-international.org
The Wild Animal Sanctuary (TWAS) is a 720 acre refuge in Keenesburg, Colorado, USA, for more than 350 rescued lions, tigers, bears, wolves and other large carnivores. ADI rescued 29 animals from circuses in Bolivia in 2010 and 2011 and the story of the 2011 seizure, rehabilitation and relocation of 25 of the lions to the TWAS is told in the movie, Lion Ark http://www.lionarkthemovie.com
