- Title: Mistreated wild animals find home at Spanish rescue centre
- Date: 24th January 2025
- Summary: VILLENA, SPAIN (JANUARY 22, 2025) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LION WALKING ACROSS HIS OPEN-AIR ENCLOSURE AT AAP (ANIMAL ADVOCACY AND PROTECTION) PRIMADOMUS RESCUE AND REHABILITATION CENTRE LION RUNNING TO GET PIECE OF MEAT PLACED ON TREE, CARRYING IT AWAY VARIOUS OF LION EATING MEAT ANIMAL CARE WORKER AT AAP PRIMADOMUS, BELI DAY, WALKING TOGETHER WITH VOLUNTEER, BRINGING FOOD AND ENRICHMENT FOR LION LIONESS LOOKING ON LION LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF DAY GATHERING BONES AND FECES (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANIMAL CARE WORKER AT AAP PRIMADOMUS, 39, BELI DAY, SAYING: ''Going around enclosure, picking up rest of bones, poo, well, whatever we see. If they broke some enrichment, so we have to pick it up to clean a little bit all the enclosure.'' VARIOUS OF LIONS IN THEIR ENCLOSURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANIMAL CARE WORKER AT AAP PRIMADOMUS, 39, BELI DAY, SAYING: ''I've been a keeper for several years, but it's like I need a meaning to do my job, you know. I like what it means to work here, it's not just working with animals, you know, exotic animals – this is the thing that I like, it's more like giving a meaning to what I do. I am taking care of animals that I think deserve a second chance in life because they had a really rough beginning.'' VARIOUS OF TIGER IN ITS ENCLOSURE COMMUNICATION OFFICER AT AAP PRIMADOMUS, BERTA ALZAGA, OPENING FENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMUNICATION OFFICER AT AAP PRIMADOMUS, BERTA ALZAGA, SAYING: ''The idea was always improve the life of animals kept as pets or illegally traded or coming from life in circuses or other forms of entertainment. So what we search is to find out… to give them back the wilderness and naturality as much as possible.'' (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE VIDEO SHOWING FACILITIES OF AAP PRIMADOMUS (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMUNICATION OFFICER AT AAP PRIMADOMUS, BERTA ALZAGA, SAYING: ''Obviously the future we would like for this organisation is to disappear at the end, no? Europe without people having exotic animals at homes or understanding that circus life is not a life for a wild animal.''
- Embargoed: 7th February 2025 07:43
- Keywords: AAP Primadomus animals in captivity big cats chimpanzee circus illegal trade of animals primates rescued lions
- Location: VILLENA, SPAIN
- City: VILLENA, SPAIN
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Environment,Europe,Nature/Wildlife
- Reuters ID: LVA001564323012025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:At the foot of mountains in eastern Spain, rescued lions and chimpanzees take strolls through lush green surroundings at a rescue centre where wild animals get second chance in life.
Animal Advocacy and Protection (AAP) Primadomus rehabilitates and houses mistreated animals, including those kept in captivity in circuses or at homes.
Among almost hundred of animals housed at the centre are lions, caracals, chimpanzees and barbary macaques.
In a rescue operation last December, 12 lions, including nine lion cubs, were moved from a French circus to Spain where they currently undergo treatment.
Once brought into the centre, animals go thorough medical check-ups and are placed in a quarantine. They then get into open-air enclosures.
Dozens of volunteers and staff workers, like Beli Day, look after animals daily.
Day, who previously worked as animal trainer and keeper at Bioparks Fuengirola and Valencia, joined AAP, following her childhood passion for big cats.
She said work at the rescue centre makes her job more meaningful.
Berta Alzaga, AAP communication officer, said on Wednesday (January 22) the facilities in Spain were launched in 2009 and had since rescued a few hundred animals.
Project initially started with barbary macaques, which according to the organisation, were illegally traded from Morocco through the border with Spain.
After rehabilitation, animals will find new homes in sanctuaries and natural parks.
AAP also works to improve the legislation aimed at banning the use of animals in circuses and other forms of entertainment and creating a complete list of animals that can be kept as pets.
(Production: Margaryta Chornokondratenko, Guillermo Martinez) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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