Wild At Life Project

From Captivity to Freedom: Rescuing Tigers from a Canned Hunting Farm

Activity status: Ongoing
Area of Activity: South Africa

Breeding big cats for commercial purposes like cub petting, roadside zoos, or trophy hunting perpetuates cruelty and suffering, and reduces them to mere objects of profit and entertainment. It incentivizes irresponsible breeding practices, inbreeding, and failing to prioritize animal welfare. Once these big cats outgrow their cuteness or become less profitable, they are often discarded, sold to substandard facilities, or even killed. This practice ignores the value and dignity of these amazing animals and uses them for human entertainment.

The cruel canned hunting industry in South Africa isn’t just limited to lions – tigers are also victims. With a price tag of $35,000 to $40,000 per animal, these majestic creatures are highly sought after. Since tigers are not native to Africa, they are only present on the continent through illegal trafficking and captive breeding.

In mid-April, the owner of a canned hunting farm contacted Wild at Life e.V. regarding two tigers that he no longer wished to keep.

Getting ready to sedate the tigers
Getting ready to sedate the tigers

Fortunately, the number of visitors to canned hunting farms in South Africa has decreased in recent years due to the pandemic and border restrictions. As tigers are the largest cat species in the world, no one hunting them meant that the farm owner had to bear the high expenses of feeding them. As a result, he decided to give the tigers away.

These tigers which were once nameless and probably only identified by numbers or “that one” are now called Lily and Luna. They are two majestic, full-grown female tigers flourishing in the safe haven of Bela Bela sanctuary, no longer at risk of being targeted by bullets or other forms of harm.

Reversing the sedation
Asli, the founder, with Lily & Luna

Because they are not native to Africa and thus, cannot be released into the wild, the financial responsibility to provide for them is now shouldered by Wild at Life e.V.

A frequently underestimated part of conservation efforts is what happens after the immediate rescue of an animal. Feeding, caring for, and otherwise sustaining the animals in a sanctuary like Bela Bela is equally important and unfortunately not cheap.

If you’d like to help us provide for Lily and Luna

so they can continue to have an enriched life with regular meals, please consider becoming an ongoing donor.

Thank you for your unwavering support!

No results found.

This project is carried out in the following activity areas
Hindering lion canned hunting farm practice

Spread the news!

Help us increasing social commitment in saving endangered wild species. Express your support by sharing this article in your favorite social media channel.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
WhatsApp
Email

Most recent news

Project update
October 3, 2025

The last World Lion Day was not a celebration for us. Instead of sharing uplifting stories, we had to deliver heartbreaking news: the matriarch of the Hippo Creek Pride in Victoria Falls was brutally killed by poachers. She was an

Project update
September 8, 2025

Wild at Life e.V. cares for dozens of rescued farm animals — especially pigs — who now live safely with our partner NGO, an organization that provides a home to hundreds of farm animals. Among them are many pigs we

News
September 4, 2025

Verängstigt und verstört drängen sich die Affen an die Gitterstäbe ihrer viel zu kleinen Käfige –Bilder, die einem die Tränen in die Augen treiben. Doch für Tierschützerin Aslihan Gedik sind sie kein seltener Anblick. Immer wieder müssen sie und ihr

Project update
August 25, 2025

Wild at Life’s Mission Caita is a vital initiative focused on combating wildlife trafficking, particularly targeting the illegal trade of chimpanzees in Angola. We are the only NGO working in the Maiombe Rainforest in Cabinda, where we have been active

Project update
August 10, 2025

Every year, on August 10th, we celebrate World Lion Day. For us, the day is important for several reasons: We Raise Awareness: we highlight the decline of lion populations and the threats they face, such as habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict,

Project update
August 1, 2025

A horrible killing has just happened on our doorsteps in Zimbabwe and left 10 cubs orphan. The famous Blondie The Lion has been killed for a trophy, just similar to the killing of Cecil. Blondie, the 5-year-old male lion, was

Stay informed!

Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date with our activities!

By subscribing you consent to our Privacy Policy

Search for more