The Wild Animal Sanctuary facts for kids
The Wild Animal Sanctuary logo
|
|
Central receiving compound with upper level education center
|
|
| Date opened | January 10, 1980 |
|---|---|
| Location | Keenesburg, Colorado, United States |
| Land area | 9,793 acres (3,963 ha) |
| Coordinates | 40°01′41″N 104°33′35″W / 40.028173°N 104.559760°W |
| No. of animals | 460+ |
| No. of species | ~18 |
| Annual visitors | almost 200,000 (2013) |
The Wild Animal Sanctuary is a huge animal rescue center in Keenesburg, Colorado, USA. It helps big predators like lions, tigers, and bears. These animals might have been treated badly or their owners couldn't care for them. Sometimes, they might even be put down if the sanctuary didn't step in.
This sanctuary is a special non-profit group. It is licensed by the state and federal governments to care for animals. It started in 1980 on grasslands near Denver. Since then, it has helped over 1,000 animals. By early 2018, more than 460 animals lived there. The sanctuary also bought a huge new ranch, over 9,000 acres, near Springfield, Colorado.
Contents
What the Sanctuary Does
The main goal of The Wild Animal Sanctuary is to help large meat-eating animals. These animals are often kept as pets or used in shows. They might have been hurt, left alone, or kept illegally. The sanctuary gives them a wonderful life for as long as they live.
Teaching About Animal Care
Another important goal is to teach people about the "Captive Wildlife Crisis." This means there are many wild animals living outside of zoos in the United States. For example, about 4,000 tigers live as pets in Texas alone. Many of these animals come from illegal trading. The sanctuary wants to show people why this is a problem and how to fix it.
Sanctuary's Story
Pat Craig started The Wild Animal Sanctuary. He began by taking in a baby jaguar on his family's farm near Boulder, Colorado. Soon, more animals needed help. They moved to Lyons, Colorado for more space. After eight years, a rock quarry opened nearby. This meant the sanctuary had to move again.
In 2005, the sanctuary faced a tough time. Donations went down a lot. By 2006, they thought they might have to close. To raise money, they opened to the public. They also started selling donated items and got more volunteers. People could even "sponsor" an animal to help pay for its care.
Growing Habitats for Animals
By 2007, the sanctuary used 160 acres of its land for animal homes. By 2010, they had 240 acres of habitats.
In 2011, the sanctuary did something amazing. They worked with Animal Defenders International and the Bolivian government. Bolivia had made a law against wild animals performing in circuses. So, the sanctuary took in 25 lions from circuses in Bolivia. These lions had often lived in small crates.
The sanctuary built a special building for the lions. This helped them get used to the Colorado weather. They also built four large outdoor areas, each 20 acres big. On April 14, 2011, the first group of lions went into their huge outdoor home.
The new lion homes used up all the sanctuary's land. But later in 2011, a kind donation helped them buy 400 more acres. This made the sanctuary 720 acres in total. It gave them lots of room for more animal homes in the future.
The Mile Into the Wild Walkway
In May 2012, the sanctuary finished the "Mile Into the Wild" walkway. This walkway is 4,800 feet long. It lets visitors see the animals in their big habitats from above. It connects the main area with the Bolivian Lion House. A new parking lot was also built for all the visitors. The road to the sanctuary was even paved, making it easier to get there.
Sanctuary Facilities
The sanctuary wants all its animals to live in very large outdoor areas. It has a central area for new animals. Here, they can rest and get used to their new home. The lower part of the main building houses tigers. The upper part is an education center for visitors. Animals in this area have indoor and outdoor spaces. They have play structures and warm areas for winter. There is even a shared pool with a waterfall where tigers can play.
As of 2013, the sanctuary had 26 large habitats. These areas are between 5 and 25 acres each. They are home to over 330 African lions, tigers, bears, leopards, cougars, and timberwolves. The habitats have pools for swimming. They also have underground dens that stay cool in summer and warm in winter. Visitors can see these animals from the elevated walkways.
New Welcome Center and World Record
In summer 2016, a new welcome center opened. It is 48,000 square feet. Another half-mile of elevated walkway was added. On October 31, 2016, Guinness World Records confirmed something amazing. The Wild Animal Sanctuary's elevated walkway became the world's longest footbridge. It is 1.51 miles long!
The Wildlife Refuge Expansion
By spring 2018, the Keenesburg location was full. There was no more room to grow nearby. So, the sanctuary bought a huge new property. It is 9,004 acres in southeastern Colorado. This new place is called "The Wildlife Refuge." It has different types of land, like pine forests, canyons, and caves.
The sanctuary planned to have the first animal habitat ready in 2018. This new location will not be open to the public. The Keenesburg location will stay the main place for visitors and education.
In 2020, another animal sanctuary in Texas joined The Wild Animal Sanctuary. It was renamed "The Wild Animal Sanctuary-Texas."
Learning at the Sanctuary
In 2007, it was thought that 25,000 or more wild animals lived in captivity in the United States. Many of these animals are treated badly or kept illegally. The Wild Animal Sanctuary believes that teaching people about these animals is very important. It helps people understand the problem. It also helps make conditions better for the animals.
The visitor center at the sanctuary gives information about these animals. The sanctuary also has speakers who give presentations to different groups.
