3 Incredible Animal Sanctuaries Around The World

You may read a lot in the news about animal cruelty and how climate and deforestation are affecting species across the globe. Although these news stories are sad and upsetting, there are also great numbers of people who dedicate their lives to saving and protecting animals. There are many sanctuaries that work hard to keep species from going extinct and provide a safe place away from poachers.

Here are three remarkable animal sanctuaries, much like Hopefield Animal Sanctuary, which inspire people around the world through their activities caring for animals.

1 Elephant Nature Park – Thailand

Many elephants in Thailand enter the entertainment or logging industries. There, they are often mistreated and develop scars and constant pain.

The Elephant Nature Park was set up around 1996 by Lek as a safe place for elephants to go to escape these situations.

Some of them arrive with dislocated hips or injuries from bullhooks that are stabbed into their ears.

Visitors are able to feed the elephants at the nature park, as well as help give them a mud bath. However, there are no rides of the elephants or any other elephant entertainment. Visitors are able to hear about the history of each animal and see them roaming free.

2 Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary – Ghana

There are only two hippo populations left in Ghana, the Upper West Region on the black Volta River. This region is where the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary is located. It was set up by local chiefs in 1999, and allows visitors to view the river’s hippos safely.

You can learn here about the hippos and their easily frightened nature. It is thought that on average, about 2,900 people are killed each year by hippos in Africa, mainly because of a lack of understanding of their habits and habitat.

3 Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding – China

Because female pandas only ovulate once a year, this makes it extremely hard for pandas to get pregnant. When you add to this the fact that habitat erosion and environmental degradation has caused their population to deplete, this makes for a tough time for pandas.

All of this makes the work done at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding all the more important.

Here, educational tourism is combined with conservation and research into panda breeding. The non-profit research and breeding facility is even named one of the top 500 environmental conservation entities by the UN Environmental Programme.

Other sanctuaries of note

The above are just three of the many vital sanctuaries out there that care for animals. Here is a brief mention of some of the others working hard around the world.

● Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary – UK

They rescue many homeless cats, dogs, and rabbits among others. They take care of them and offer them a better future.

● The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – Kenya

This trust has rescued over 150 orphaned elephants along with other animals such as rhinos.

Conclusion

Animal sanctuaries are some of the last places where endangered animals can live happy and safe lives. Visiting and otherwise supporting these places – such as through donations – can help with maintaining the sanctuaries and giving more animals a safe place to live in the future.