Spring 2022
Keepers of the Wild Newsletter
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Happy Anniversary, Desi, Lucy, and Junior! |
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It has been one year since the New Guinea singing dog family joined us as rescued residents!
Originally abandoned by a breeder in the harsh Illinois winter, this trio was saved by a fellow non-profit rescue in Florida, who then contacted us for permanent placement.
Thought to be extinct until sightings in the wild in 2012, New Guinea singing dogs are very rare, with only about 2,500 individuals left in the world, most of whom have been bred in captivity as pets. Few still exist in the wild today.
It has been a joy to watch as “Papa Desi”, “Mama Lucy”, and young Junior have settled into their new life at the sanctuary, and we look forward to many more years with them.
Due to our strict no-breed policy, Desi and Lucy will not be welcoming any pups in the future.
To see these cuties in action and hear about their incredible rescue story, watch the video featuring Founder & Executive Director, Jonathan Kraft, click below.
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- Hisoka, an adorable baby spotted skunk, was placed with us after being found abandoned and too small to fend for himself in the wild. Hiskoka is still too tiny to release into a habitat, so for now, he is enjoying a temporary enclosure inside the Animal Care Center where staff can dote on him as he grows stronger and more mature.
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- Angel, a beautiful senior Bengal cat, was abandoned by breeders in the Phoenix area and was subsequently placed with us after being contacted by Anthem Pets, in Phoenix, AZ.
- Three alpacas; Maui, Koha, and Footloose, were surrendered by their owner.
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Prince Pools: Making a Splash at Keepers! |
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Keepers of the Wild would like to give a heartfelt “thank you” to Prince Pools of Kingman for constructing a giant in-ground tiger pool for one of our habitats that houses four sibling Bengal tigers.
Prince Pools donated their time and labor and teamed up with other local businesses to help significantly reduce the cost of construction on this project. Pena Concrete, LLC, of Bullhead City, Campbell Redi-Mix, of Lake Havasu City, and ACE Hardware in Kingman, all gave generous in-kind donations that made this beautiful new pool possible.
We greatly appreciate their generosity and love for the animals!
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The four sibling Bengal tigers who are now enjoying their new pool were recently relocated from their existing habitat into one we felt they would enjoy more. With lots of room to roam, enrichment platforms, a hammock, and the new pool, Millie, Moses, Malachi, and Marilyn are living it up!
Before moving in, their new habitat was also retrofitted with larger den boxes to provide comfortable sheltered sleeping quarters for the group.
Volunteers Frank and Carol K. traveled out to the sanctuary all the way from Minnesota to build a hammock fit for the four tigers, and it turned out beautifully! Made of recycled fire hoses, the hammock is not only comfy but also sturdy and easy to clean.
The tigers have been thoroughly enjoying their enrichment hammock since it was completed. They send their chuffs of thanks to Frank and Carol for their time and dedication not just to this project, but for the many enrichment projects this caring couple has completed for the sanctuary over the years.
Thank you, Frank and Carol!
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Future Plans
Things are always moving with cheetah-like speed at the sanctuary, and there are projects to be seen just about everywhere you look around these days.
With construction jobs dedicated to accommodating future residents, as well as upgrading existing habitats for current residents, it is safe to say that 2022 will be heavily focused on expansion.
Major projects taking place are:
- Building a new habitat for Vixie and Yote, a young, bonded fox and coyote couple, to give them more room to dig, climb, and play as they grow.
- Expanding several bobcat habitats.
- Upgrading/retrofitting three large existing habitats to include improved soil, in-ground pools, and the placement of multiple new trees and foliage, intended for future big cat residents.
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American Sanctuary Association Accreditation |
We are honored to announce that Keepers of the Wild has achieved accreditation with the American Sanctuary Association (ASA).
ASA “is an accrediting organization that requires accredited animal sanctuaries to comply with a variety of high-quality animal care standards and housing requirements”, in addition to licensing and compliance with the standards set forth by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Arizona Game and Fish (ASGF).
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For several years, Kingman Landscape has donated trees, foliage, and services to the sanctuary, effectively helping create the serene and natural outdoor experience that the nature park is today.
In 2020, Kingman Landscape’s owner, Chris Burkett, and his wife, Kelsey, a COVID-19 front-line Registered Nurse in Kingman, were both elected to the Keepers of the Wild Board of Directors.
This year, Chris, Kelsey, and Kingman Landscape are working with the sanctuary to help spruce up the grounds with the placement of new trees in animal habitats and providing maintenance work.
Thank you, Chris, Kelsey, and the Kingman Landscape crew! We appreciate you and your dedication to the animals and our community!
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Animal Spotlight: Millie the "Miracle Tiger" |
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Last spring, Millie accidentally broke a canine tooth and seemed to be feeling generally unwell, so we called in Dr. Lowry of Cerbat Dental Group, and Dr. Angone of Kingman Animal Hospital, to see if they could give Millie a helping paw.
Being the generous and talented individuals that they are, both doctors agreed to come out to our on-site Santiago Animal Clinic with their teams to perform a root canal and routine medical examination on Millie.
The dental procedures went fantastically well but nobody could have guessed that Dr. Angone would find what she did lurking inside of Millie’s abdomen…
A nasty pyometra had Millie on the brink of death. A pyometra is a secondary infection found in the uterus of felines (and dogs) after hormonal changes take place within the animal. These hormonal changes sometimes occur when the female has experienced estrus without reproduction.
Because it is safer and less invasive to neuter male big cats rather than to spay the females, it has been our practice to spay the males and keep the ladies intact when male and female animals share a habitat together to prevent breeding.
Big cats often do not show their pain and discomfort until it is almost too late for human detection. Animals will instinctively hide their symptoms because, in the wild, their ailments would be perceived as weakness by other animals, thus making them targets for attack or prey. Hiding symptoms can save their life…or take it.
The issue with Millie developing a pyometra is a perfect example of why quality routine medical examinations and the constant observance of the animals in our care are crucial to their well-being. Had our devoted team of Animal Caretakers not noticed Millie’s broken tooth or unusual behavior, Millie would not have survived.
What’s more incredible is that Millie is not a young lady. Undergoing the extensive emergency surgery that she did would be the equivalent of an elderly human woman having a hysterectomy. Dr. Angone and her team did an amazing job of jumping into action to save Millie’s life and because of the teamwork between the sanctuary and medical care providers, Millie celebrated her 15th birthday just two days after her surgery.
Nearly a year later, Millie is doing very well and enjoying life with her three siblings in their shared habitat. We are grateful to work with a team of such dedicated individuals and for the chance to watch Millie live out the rest of her life in peace and good health.
Watch Millie's miraculous video below!
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Staff Spotlight:
April Ibarra, Animal Care Supervisor
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April began working with Keepers of the Wild as a volunteer Animal Caretaker in February 2017 and joined the staff as a full-time employee by the end of March the same year.
After about 12 months of hard work and dedication to learning the ins and outs of animal care, April began working with the big cats and was promoted to Animal Care Supervisor. Developing a deeper love and understanding for the animals in her care, April became inspired to pursue her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, with a focus on Conservation Biology. Currently, April is set to graduate in spring 2023.
When asked, April will tell you that her favorite part of working at Keepers of the Wild is the strong bond she has developed with large predators and the relationship she has forged with Cindy, the resident mountain lion. Cindy inspires April daily to continue her education so she can be an active, educated “voice for those who cannot speak for themselves”.
Happy Anniversary, April!
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Keepers of the Wild’s Founder and Executive Director, Jonathan Kraft, has been elected to the Steering Committee for the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance (BCSA).
After nearly 30 years of working with and rescuing wildlife, Mr. Kraft is looking forward to sharing his knowledge and experiences with like-minded professionals who share common goals in the advocation for improved animal welfare and animal welfare laws.
The BCSA “works to eliminate private ownership and the commercial exploitation of wild cats in the United States”.
Keepers’ Vice President and Chairwoman, Lara Kraft, is serving her second year with the BCSA’s Education Committee.
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This year for Earth Day (April 22nd), Keepers of the Wild is urging you to take action to help protect big cats in captivity by supporting the Big Cat Public Safety Act.
Otherwise known as HR 263/ S1210, the #BCPSA would ban private ownership of big cat species, as well as prohibit direct contact between the public and the animals. This crucial measure would ultimately put an end to the cruel cub petting and photo opportunity attractions that enslave wildlife and put the public in dangerous situations, just to make a profit. The welfare of the animals and the public is of little to no concern to the people who are using these beautiful animals for monetization.
Furthermore, there are currently far more big cats living in captivity in the United States alone than in all the wild. Private possession of big cats is widely legal in the United States, with some states not even requiring an ownership permit. Imagine your neighbor keeping a tiger or lion (or both!) in their backyard next to you, with no legal oversight or regulation at all. Keepers of the Wild has had to step up and rescue innumerable big cats over our 27-year history when private ownership of the animals has gone awry, which, most of the time it does! No matter how much handling a wild animal has had, even if from the day of its birth, the animal will never be “tame”, especially in the case of big cats. Lions, tigers, leopards, cougars, etc. are all biologically skilled predators and their wild instincts never leave them. It only takes one small mistake on the part of the human for the predatory instincts of big cats to be set off and when they do, it never ends well for the humans or the animals.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act would help to protect the public and would ensure better protection for big cats in captivity.
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AZ Gives Day: An Opportunity to Support Animals |
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With so many animal rescues and expansion projects happening at the sanctuary this year, the animals at Keepers of the Wild need your support more than ever.
“Arizona Gives Day is an annual giving movement uniting nonprofits, big and small, new and established, to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Arizona through online giving. The event helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonprofits play in our communities and inspires people to give generously creating a thriving and stronger Arizona for all.”
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Keepers of the Wild has been working diligently for the past two years to rescue 57 lions and tigers from Zoo Lujan, located in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The first 10 lions were set to arrive on December 15, 2021, and all the necessary preparations were in place; new habitats were built, others were retrofitted, and transportation from LAX to our Valentine, AZ wildlife sanctuary was planned.
Unfortunately, due to delay after delay in Argentina, the animals have not yet arrived. Factors such as a current heated political climate in Argentina, COVID-19 travel restrictions, and lack of funding have made this rescue an ongoing effort.
WE AREN'T GIVING UP!
Keepers of the Wild will be continuing to work with Argentina to accomplish this complicated rescue that we have put time, funds, and much effort into achieving. We want to thank everyone who has helped support us and the incoming animals during this journey.
As always, we'll keep you posted with updates!
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