Lion love from Roxy and Sarah

Shani and Shungu at Twala Trust

Dear Subscribers,

As many of you are aware, two of the not-for-profits we support are animal charities who mostly work in very different sectors. But Roxy Danckwerts at Wild is Life/Zimbabwe Elephant Nursery and Sarah Carter at Twala Trust Animal Sanctuary know each other well. And offer support wherever they can.

I love this story, just in from Sarah, about the tale of two grieving cats who were offered a new companions. I wanted to share it with you right away.

I’ll get out of the way now, and let Sarah tell the tale.

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From Sarah Carter:

“As rescuers the inevitable cost of living with so much love for and from so many are times of intense and seemingly unbearable grief that eclipse the light and the joy that rescue also brings. When that grief is for a being as magnificent and iconic as our beloved Shani, the lioness who was the very embodiment of power and grace, the adored companion and fierce protecter of gentle Shungu, the sorrow pulls us under like a riptide. Shani was one of our first Twala residents, our beautiful moon gazer, sunbather, ball chaser, midnight roarer, our mercurial, mischievous, golden eyed girl.

Moon-gazer Shani

We nursed Shani for a year after she was injured in a freak hailstorm at Twala. Radial nerve paralysis in her left front leg progressed to the point where she was no longer able to move freely, compounded by arthritis in her right front leg. Knowing that we did absolutely everything in our power to take care of her, to make her feel comfortable and safe, to give her the foods she loved best, to keep her with her soul mate Shungu in the habitat that was her home for 11 years was some measure of comfort when we finally had to make the utterly soul destroying decision to let our precious girl go. The empathy and kindness of Dr Keith Dutlow of Aware Trust Zimbabwe and the donation of his time and expertise until the devastating end of this long journey with Shani is appreciated more than we can say.

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The utter bewilderment, fear and sorrow of Shungu after Shani died was agonizing to witness. He repeatedly returned to the place he had seen her last and climbed onto the platform where they had spent so many happy hours together to scan the horizon as if expecting to see his love returning to him, whilst he roared and roared to call her home.

We knew that Shungu would not live a happy life alone, and when Roxy Dankwerts, the founder of the wildlife sanctuary Wild is Life Trust and ZEN, made the incredibly generous decision to allow her own bereaved and lonely lioness, Nyasha, to be translocated to Twala as a companion to Shungu, it lifted the hugest weight off our hearts.

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Nyasha lost her own beloved longtime companion, Grand, to a snake bite and was heartbroken, as was everyone at Wild is Life. Roxy felt that Nyasha would make the perfect companion for Shungu and her gift of a second chance at happiness for these two lions was extraordinarily kind and selfless.

We are fully aware of how hard it was for the Wild is Life team to part with Nyasha, who was so much a part of their family, and our gratitude and appreciation is truly heartfelt. After we had loaded her for the journey to Twala her carer ran up to the truck with her toys for her take with her, struggling to hold back tears and making it clear how loved she is.

Nyasha, being prepared for the journey

Nyasha and Shungu are now living so happily together at Twala.

Shungu’s joy and hilarious rom-com shenanigans at the arrival of his new companion have brought so much light to Twala – he spent the first day peeking coyly at her from behind a rock, and then leopard-crawled his way to her holding enclosure for gentle head butts and some very Barry White crooning through the fence.

Nyasha waking at Twala

That awkward first date

When we introduced them face to face it was like a particularly awkward first date, lots of fiddling and gazing everywhere but at each other, and much stick chewing (perhaps cleaning their teeth for that first kiss….) before they wandered off together to lie peacefully beneath the trees.

Healing a broken heart

Hearing them roaring together for the first time was one of the most memorable and uplifting moments of our life at Twala.

Here’s to you, Shungu and Nyasha – may you live happily ever after.”

Nyasha, settled into her new home

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From Roxy:

Today, Nyasha and Shungu are thriving together at Twala, their bond growing with each day. Watching them roar in harmony and find comfort in each other reminds us of the beauty that can emerge from loss.

Here’s to second chances and the enduring power of love.

A big thank you to Sarah and the entire Twala team for treating Nyasha with the utmost care and love and for making her feel so welcome and loved.

How wonderful to see Wild is Life/ZEN and Twala working together!

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May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness.

May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.

May all beings never be parted from the happiness that is without suffering.

May all beings abide in equanimity, their minds free from desire and hatred.

And may love, compassion, joy and equanimity pervade the hearts and minds of all beings throughout limitless space!

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