A crucial wildlife sanctuary in South Africa has been devastated by a wildfire that raged for five days and destroyed 80% of its haven for hundreds of animals.
Credit (top and bottom): Bambelela Wildlife Sanctuary
This sanctuary, which rescues, rehabilitates and, when possible, releases animals like zebras, monkeys, giraffes, warthogs and antelope back into the wild, now desperately needs our help.
Paralyzed, injured and orphaned wild animals miraculously survived the devastating fire – but now, they have no food. Please, help right away.
The dedicated team at Bambelela Wildlife Sanctuary in Bela Bela, a town in the Limpopo province of South Africa, risked their lives to fight the fire and protect the 200 rescued animals in their care.
Without their intervention, many would have been entirely helpless against the raging fire. Some of the animals have been paralyzed after being hit by cars, others have lost limbs due to abuse or vehicular collisions, and others still have lost their sight due to abuse or old age.
Despite orders from firefighters to evacuate, the team stayed behind, trying to stop the flames from reaching the animal enclosures and the injured, paralyzed, orphaned, elderly and blind animals inside.
An injured monkey being rescued.
Sadly, the fire spread too fast, forcing the sanctuary to release the animals onto the reserve to save them from being trapped and killed by the flames or smoke.
Most animals have been recovered safely, but three monkeys are still missing. The team is searching for them, and we are hopeful they will be found.
We don’t know what caused the fire, but we do know that it destroyed the sanctuary’s grazing areas. Bambelela desperately needs help to feed its 200 animals for the next month while the sanctuary works to recover from the disaster.
Credit: BBFPA
Right now, Bambelela’s biggest priorities are finding the missing animals and keeping bellies full. Their greatest need is food, as the disaster destroyed all the natural food sources their animals rely on.
80% of this critical wildlife sanctuary’s land has been destroyed by flames that burned more than 32 feet (10 meters) high.
Please, will you help feed these vulnerable animals?
Credit: Bambelela Wildlife Sanctuary
If we can raise $2,080 (roughly £1,600), we can feed all 200 animals for a month, relieving the pressure on the sanctuary as they rush to repair and rebuild what they can. Your support will be a saving grace for animals who have experienced yet another horrendous trauma after lives of hardship, captivity and severe abuse.
Please will you help feed the animals of Bambelela Wildlife Sanctuary, and be their guardian angel in their greatest time of need?