A weekly report from Safe Haven for Donkeys in Gaza: : "A heartfelt thank you for your continued support of working donkeys, horses and mules"

 

Dear readers, I wanted to send you a heartfelt thank you for your continued support of our work helping donkeys, horses and mules in crisis areas. Today’s update shares some of the latest cases our team has responded to on the ground. I hope it helps show the difference your support is making for animals who would otherwise have nowhere to turn. You can also click here to read our latest April operational report from Gaza, showing the scale of the work taking place thanks to your support. Because of your kindness, our Gaza team reached 634 donkeys and horses in desperate need of care - often in incredibly difficult conditions. Thank you again for caring so deeply about these animals and the people who depend on them every day. Wendy Safe Haven UK Office An update from Gaza In recent weeks, our vet team has carried out urgent field visits across different parts of Gaza, treating large numbers of animals in need of emergency care. While much of our work focuses on donkeys and horses, the team never turns away an animal in need - often treating sheep, birds and pets caught up in the crisis too. Many animals are suffering from illness, injury and exhaustion after months of hardship and very limited access to veterinary care. Animals are suffering due to delayed access to veterinary care - but our vet team are trying to reach as many donkeys and horses as possible. Recently, a Bedouin community leader contacted our team asking for urgent help before illness spread further among their animals. The team quickly responded and worked for hours under extremely difficult conditions to examine and treat sick animals. Their fast action helped contain the outbreak and prevent further suffering. Our team travel on foot or by bicycle to reach communities with animals in need of veterinary care. Shortly afterwards, the team received another urgent call - this time from an owner desperately seeking help for his horse. The team set out on foot to reach the animal and provide treatment. With roads badly damaged, fuel scarce and transport costs extremely high, some visits now take hours of walking to reach remote areas. Najeeba shares more about this case in our video update. Click to view Najeeba's video from Gaza Donkeys and horses continue to be vital 'family' members - helping transport food and water. Infectious diseases are continuing to spread rapidly among animals in Gaza, while harsh living conditions and the collapse of basic infrastructure are making life even harder. But despite the challenges they face every day, our vet team continues moving from one emergency to the next - carrying out treatments, monitoring recovery and returning for follow-up visits wherever possible. Thank you for making this life-saving work possible. Click to read Dr Saif's April Report from Gaza Thank You Erna  Your support helps us fund our vet teams in Gaza, the West Bank, and Egypt, bringing vital veterinary treatment directly to working donkeys, mules and horses in desperate need. You are also caring for rescue donkeys at our sanctuaries in Israel and the West Bank, where they receive nutritious food, specialist care, and the safety of a forever home.  Thank you for caring for these gentle animals. Donate today Because of your support, this donkey received the urgent treatment needed to relieve his pain and begin recovery. If you'd like to read previous updates of our work, please click here to visit out blog. You can also view today's update online by clicking here. Registered charity number 1083468

Wildlife SOS: 15 beautiful photos and links to wildlife videos to enjoy this weekend

 

https://www.youtube.com/@WildlifeSOS/search 

unbreakable bond with senior elephant Ginger. Now about 65 years old, Ginger was a ‘begging’ elephant for six decades. Her frail body shows signs of a brutal past life. But she only knows kindness and care now, and Surender has dedicated his life to Ginger’s wellbeing. Photo by Sanjeev Marskole. Read more about Ginger. Vote for this as your favourite photo! WATCH VIDEO OF GINGER

Rhesus macaques are amazingly adaptable primates. This adaptability is both a blessing and a curse … they thrive in urban environments, and this success often puts them in direct conflict with their human relatives. This little infant was rescued when her mother died giving birth in the wild. The baby found comfort and care in the arms of Wildlife SOS caregivers. Because macaques share significant genetic and psychological similarities with humans, they are often trafficked for medical research. Once she grows healthy and strong enough, she will join a wild troop of other macaques. Photo by Chinmoy Swargiary. Vote for this as your favourite photo! Vultures are a conservation success story in South Asia. The birds were almost wiped out in the late 1990s, losing nearly 99% of the population due to Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), which was used to treat cattle. As nature’s cleaners of animal carcases, their absence caused a huge spike in cases of rabies. Today, vulture populations are slowly rebounding. This beautiful yellow fellow is an old-world Egyptian vulture. Did you know “new world” and “old world” vultures are not closely related? The family Accipitridae is primarily found in Africa, Europe and Asia. New World vultures of the family Cathartidae are native to the Americas. Photo by Sanjeev Marskole. Vote for this as your favourite photo! So tiny! These little palm squirrels were abandoned when their mother never returned. Wildlife SOS to the rescue! Our team will raise and care for them until they can be released back into the wild. Photo by Chinmoy Swargiary. How cute are Swati and Gubbi hiding out in their dark cool cave? Using dens is healthy natural behaviour for the bears in our rescue centres. Here are five interesting facts about sloth bear denning. Read more about sloth bear denning behaviour. Photo by Akash Dolas. Is it a lost housecat? No, actually it’s the illusive jungle cat! Despite their name, jungle cats are rarely found in rainforests or "jungles." They much prefer wetlands, reed beds, and swamps. This preference is so strong that they are sometimes called "swamp cats" or "reed cats." They thrive in the tall grass and thick vegetation surrounding bodies of water. Jungle cats are expert hunters who are part of a wild, balanced ecosystem. Domestic housecats on the other hand, should be kept indoors.  Photo by Akash Dolas. Is that a crocodile? An alligator? They’re gharials, one of the most distinctive and specialised members of the crocodilian family. Native to the sandy-banked rivers of the northern Indian subcontinent, it is a fascinating example of extreme evolutionary adaptation. Small, economical drone cameras have revolutionized our ability to observe wildlife. This photo of gharials on the banks of a river is a unique perspective made possible by the stealthy aircraft. Remember, never harass wildlife and always give them plenty of space as to not disturb their natural behaviour. Photo by Atharva Pacharne. What do you think Maya, Phoolkali, Emma and Tara are talking about? Are they gossiping about Laxmi’s weight loss? Planning a tea party? Discussing a heist of ALL the bananas? Hit reply and let us know!  Photo by Mradul Pathak. Did you know we have a YouTube playlist that’s ALL ELEPHANTS? This Asian palm civet pup was treated and released back into the wild to get more training from mum. Like most carnivores, pups rely entirely on their mothers to learn how to hunt and survive in the wild, then they lead solitary lives as adults. Civets are fascinating animals that occupy a unique middle ground in the ecosystem. Often called “cats”, they’re not felines at all, but of the family Viverridae. Photo by Mradul Pathak. For people, one of the great joys in life is a sunset walk on the beach with friends. The same holds true for elephants! This is Kalpana, Arya and Zara. Kalpana’s best friend and companion is Holly, who is getting too old and frail to go on long walks. After an evening stroll, Kalpana rushes back to check on her best friend, who she lovingly watches over. Photo by Ashray Thakur. For the next two weeks, use the promo code “MAYPHOTOS” and get 10% off your order!

Videos: Raise the Red Flag ....... What Will I Tell My Children?

What will I tell my children?

Raise the red flag

Raise The Red Flag

Born Free wants to end the suffering of wild animals in captivity, but we need your help.

Please look out for captive animal exploitation, neglect, and signs of distress. Whether in your home country or travelling internationally, flag your concerns, and speak out.

You can help stop suffering and report animal abuse with our Raise the Red Flag campaign. Our online platform highlights animal welfare problems, shares information with other travelers and provides guidance on how YOU can take action.

Your eyewitness reports provide vital information, which we record on our comprehensive global database and interactive Red Flag map. Your evidence could help raise awareness, warn other people to stay away, support further investigations and help wild animals in need.

Find out more about how you can help below.

https://www.bornfree.org.uk/raise-the-red-flag/

Animals Asia: Another bear farm closes as 4 more moon bears are rescued from decades in small metal cages (video Bear Breeze's first bath is adorable)

 Photo : Jill Robinson is the founder of Animals Asia

Oriole and Cuckoo during their rescue, conducted in part by Animals Asia<br>Credit: Courtesy of Animals Asia 

Breezer was rescued before. This is a 'must see' video Enjoy!!

After almost 12 months of careful negotiations, a bear farmer finally agreed to release the last two moon bears still held in cages at his home into the care of Animals Asia. The rescue of the bears, nicknamed Cuckoo and Oriole in recognition of their springtime freedom, marks the closure of another of Vietnam’s bear farms in one of the country’s bear bile farming hotspots.

Breaking down the strongholds

The bears were rescued from a farm in Nghe An province, around 375 km south of Hanoi. In May 2025, a national bear farm survey (part-funded by Animals Asia) identified 15 bears remaining across 5 farms in Nghe An province. The region is one of the top 5 bear bile farming areas left in Vietnam. The farmer was so concerned about what his local community would say about his decision to break with bear farming that he even suggested conducting the rescue at night to avoid being seen by his neighbours.

Oriole and Cuckoo spent over 20 years in farm cages

A public opinion survey commissioned by Animals Asia found that, of the national regions of Vietnam surveyed, the Nghe An region was significantly more supportive of bear bile farming than any other region surveyed, with 70% of survey respondents based in the area in favour or neutral about the practice; compared to an average of just 8% across all other regions. Getting bears out of the region is very challenging because the practice is embedded in the socio-economics of the region.

Love and care are what Cuckoo and Oriole need

Cuckoo and Oriole were both in very poor condition, showing many of the physical and psychological scars caused by a life of captivity and harm.They were both underweight and dehydrated, with heavily callused paws and some fractured teeth. But their new life started as soon as we got their cages open.

Our rescue team carried out health checks as soon as the bears were free from their cages