Meet Our Animals
We have an incredible variety of animal species here at the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight, from lemurs and lions to monkeys and meerkats! Many of our animal residents come to us for a second chance. Some are unwanted pets, while others are rescued from horrendous conditions by animal welfare organisations such as AAP in Europe. We give these creatures the chance to flourish in a caring environment. At the same time, we hope to inspire people to take positive action to protect our planet and the animals we share it with.
Our animal carers have their own specific sections. This allows them to get to know the personalities of each animal in their care exceptionally well. Explore this section to learn more about our animals and discover their unique stories and characters.
Bears
FAQs
Are all of the animals at the sanctuary rescued?
No not all, some of the older animals have been with us a long time and came from the IOW Zoo days – the Lemurs for example are not rescued. However, most of the animals are, and going forward we will only rescue.
Where were the tigers rescued from?
Natasha and Zoppa were rescued from a circus. Softi and Toph were rescued from a horsebox bound for Russia, seized at the Belarussian border.
Where were the bears rescued from?
Azerbaijan – Benji and Balu were rescued from the ‘Restaurant Bear Trade’.
Why can’t rescued animals return to the wild?
Some can, sometimes. But these animals have never lived in the wild and are very accustomed to humans, and being fed by humans, so their chances of survival in the wild are basically none. This is why we provide their forever home.