This incredible South African Wildlife Non-Profit is doing so many things to look after, serve and protect our animals. It’s crazy to think that most people don’t even know the lengths they will go, to make a difference in our country.
South Africa (22 January 2018) – On the 12th of January, it was the Anniversary of the founding of Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation (WHWF), and what a rewarding journey it has been to see the great work they do.
It’s a new year, new beginnings, and that is enough reason to pause and take stock of the victories and defeats during the past year. This enables you to adjust your strategy, let go of failures and strengthen the habits that affect your life and what you do in a positive way.
“Do it better, in a more effective way, touch more hearts, help more of the voiceless. As humans we need these milestones to motivate us and propel us forward. It is no different with a Wildlife Non-Profit such as ourselves.
At Wild Heart Wildlife Foundation we strive to always put Wildlife First and adhere to #EthicalConservation at all times, so we always need to measure what we are doing, against the successes of what we have done.”
They believe in supporting good people who have the same beliefs as they do, and who are ethical in their dealings with Wildlife, Animals, and Funding, to the benefit of the Wildlife that we all serve.
To this effect, the incredible organisation was able to help the following organizations with practical, life-saving equipment for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, in 2017:
Tac-Trac Anti-poaching Academy – WHWF supplied several months’ food, uniforms and equipment for a number of Anti-Poaching Rangers who were deployed at one of the orphanages caring for the victims of Rhino Poaching.
Legend Lodges – To the guardians of several lions and other carnivores rescued from the Canned Hunting industry, they supplied state-of-the-art anti-poaching camera traps, veterinary medicine, parasite control, maintenance equipment etc. to help keep the animals safe and healthy. They assisted in the treatment of these animals in order to maintain their health.
Legend Wild Dog Project – Several rescued carnivores fall under this project. It includes the research into ultra-sonic predator control being conducted here. WHWF supplied loads of protective clothing, supplements, parasite control, veterinary medicines and consumables for the benefit of these animals. They have also practically assisted in the treatment and observation of these animals to ensure their well-being.
The Rhino Orphanage – Looking after several rhino babies, the victims of poaching incidents where the mothers had been killed, the aim here is rewilding and releasing into safe zones. This Orphanage is one of their main areas of focus, and they have supplied several hundreds of thousands of rands’ worth of special milk supplement, food, a generator, water troughs, hosepipes, veterinary medicines and consumables, mattresses, bedding, maintenance equipment such as chainsaws and brush cutters, stoves and a washing machine, oxygen tanks, surgical equipment and supplies, specialist veterinary items such as a life-saving capnograph etc… WHWF has assisted in the treatment and rescue of several of the orphans in various ways, from removing the seats in a vehicle to make room, to moving sedated animals, to clearing bush for safety and snake prevention. They have also supplied a horsebox monitor – a camera that is used inside the rhino ambulance to monitor the stricken rhinos during transit – making the whole process quicker and more effective.
SPCA – WHWF has done bulk drop-offs of blankets, food, cages, bowls and veterinary supplies to also help the domestic animals being cared for by the SPCA.
4PAWS – When a call went out for help, WHWF supplied 4PAWS with several hundred items including veterinary consumables, medicine and food, blankets and cleaning equipment to help care for the stricken animals they look after.
CARE Douglasdale – WHWF supplied them with sutures, syringes, gloves, stomach and feeding tubes, needles, IV sets and thousands of veterinary consumables to help care for the Urban Wildlife rescued by them.
Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery – Wild is Life Trust and ZEN – One of the highlights of their year was the trip to Harare, taking a fully loaded truck through to the Orphanage, containing very special, expensive milk formula for baby elephants, thousands of sutures, stomach tubes, feeding tubes, syringes, needles, blankets, gloves and beanies for the carers, new uniforms and gumboots for all the staff, new yard-work tools and just literally hundreds of items needed to raise orphaned baby elephants. The eight-hour wait at the border while everything was checked pales in comparison to the satisfaction of a life saved. Little Molly was the first orphaned Elephant to benefit from their delivery of special milk, prettily dressed in her soft fleece #WHWF blanket. What a joy.
Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital – Treating all urban wildlife free of charge, the amazing people here are always overjoyed at their deliveries. This year, the WHWF supplied them with a Gram Scale that was immediately put to use in weighing a genet, a stainless steel surgery table, and instrument trolley, several transport cages, and thousands of veterinary consumable items such as syringes, needles, sutures, IV Sets, gloves, surgical gloves and much more, so they can get on with the important work of saving Wildlife.
Knysna Fires – The terrible tragedy that unfolded during the Knysna Fires where thousands of animals were killed or injured. WHWF sent down a pallet jam-packed with approximately one ton of supplies ranging from blankets to food to veterinary supplies, to assist in some small way in helping the survivors of this terrible tragedy.
Rietvlei Nature Reserve – During the prolonged drought this year, supplemental feed had to be brought in to assist in feeding the rhinos. They loaded up a massive trailer filled with fresh feed, and dropped it off in the store room, so that for at least a month, food was no problem for them.
Friends of Free Wildlife – A local rescue and rehab facility that does incredible work with urban wildlife. WHWF supplied them with almost every conceivable veterinary consumable and cleaning product needed. Their storeroom bulged with supplies needed to rescue, treat, rehab and release a multitude of animals in distress.
FreeMe Lowveld – On the banks of the Crocodile River, this new Rescue facility caters for the wildlife in distress to the south of the Kruger National Park. Incredible, dedicated people who always put wildlife first, WHWF had the great pleasure of stocking up their new clinic to the brim. From Transport cages to blankets, towels, IV sets, syringes, sutures, etc. It enables these amazing people to respond quickly whenever they need to. They assisted them in the transport to a place of safety, of a mongoose and a baby vervet monkey, illegally kept as pets.
Dullstroom Birds of Prey Centre – The Raptors are taking strain, and because they are not cute and cuddly, do not normally receive as much attention as their wild furry brothers. So it was with great pleasure that the WHWF surprised them with a huge load of items crucial in the treatment and rehabilitation of raptors and other birds. People like these are so passionate and so deserving of support, that we love making a difference in the lives of their feathered Wild Babies.
Chimpanzee Rescue – WHWF financed the rescue of Leila, a Chimpanzee held captive in Angola. The poor girl was chained up without any proper food or shade, exploited as an exhibition piece. She was released with the help of a journalist travelling in Angola at the time, and taken to a place of safety, from where she would go to her forever home at Chimfunzi.
General Assistance – WHWF was fortunate enough to be able to assist in a number of emergencies that just crossed their path. They transported a couple of Wild Babies to their new temporary homes before rehab and release, the team helped rescue and treat a wild leopard baby who will be rehabilitated and released into the wild later this year. They also delivered emergency milk to some orphaned rhino babies, and critical medicine to a number of animals in distress. Ringers IV fluid was delivered just in time to help save a priceless rhino orphan. A number of other trips and smaller emergencies were handled quietly, making a difference in the lives of some pretty important Wild ones.
And that was just 2017 for this incredible team!
“All in all, 2017 has been a Wild Heart kind of year, and we are very happy with what we have achieved. We will continue to support projects we believe in, and have great plans for 2018, having started already with a #SurprizeSupplyDrop to some great people doing amazing work, who didn’t suspect a thing!
Thank you, from the bottom of our Wild Hearts, for the support, and for making it possible for us to follow our dream of #WildlifeFirst through #EthicalConservation. As always we will, during 2018, show you exactly where your loving donations are used in making a difference in the lives of our #WildBabies.”
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