AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection

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Almere
AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection

Let's end their suffering.

AAP Animal Advocacy and Protection is a European animal welfare organization dedicated to the welfare of captive exotic animals such as primates, lions and tigers.

31/05/2026

Latest update on the rehabilitation of Sona, the tiger rescued from a circus. In this lovely footage, captured by the surveillance camera in his outdoor enclosure, we can see him starting to work on his muscles! 💪

At AAP, his carers provide environmental enrichment to encourage him to move, so he can start building the muscle he needs, particularly in his hind legs. Sona is doing very well, and we’re delighted with his progress!

28/05/2026

: Good news for the protection of animals! The Enterprise Court of Appeal (CBb) today ruled against a challenge to the Dutch Positive List. This critical tool for ensuring animal and human welfare has been declared lawful and will remain in force within the Netherlands.

The Dutch Positive List uses scientifically substantiated criteria to specify which mammal species may be kept as pets in the Netherlands. Cats and dogs? On the list. Servals and sugar gliders? Absolutely not.

Today’s ruling is an important step, providing clarity and a pathway for expanding this approach to cover other animal groups, including reptiles and birds. We are extremely pleased that the methodology developed to create the list remains in force. We also welcome the ruling as a clear signal to the that it is time to move forward with an EU-wide .

18/05/2026

On 17 May, 2026, an escaped tiger believed to belong to Germany’s “Tiger Queen” Carmen Zander was shot dead by police near Leipzig after attacking one of its keepers. Nine other tigers remain at the facility and must now be secured and moved to species-appropriate housing as soon as possible.

Back in September 2024, AAP offered to take in Carmen Zander’s tigers. We are still ready and willing to bring these animals to safety and give them a future worthy of their dignity.

This story is a tragic reminder of why we need stronger regulations around the private keeping of wild animals. That’s why we’re calling for an EU-wide Positive List that clearly defines which species may be kept as pets, helping to prevent more cases like this one.

🔗 Sign our petition via en.aap.eu/eu-petition

13/05/2026

The moment that 13 Barbary macaques regained their freedom and began their new lives in Morocco’s beautiful Tazekka National Park has been caught on camera! 🎥

The second group of Barbary macaques from the Born to be Wild Project consists of adult and infant macaques. During this pivotal moment, we see them emerge from their enclosure and beginning to explore the world around them.

Born to be Wild is a unique conservation project that returns Barbary macaques rescued from poaching and illegal trafficking to their natural habitat. We are grateful to the organisations that make this possible: Agence Nationale des Eaux et Forêts - Maroc (Moroccan National Water and Forestry Agency); Liverpool John Moores University ; Université de Rennes ; Postcode Loterij. And we are especially grateful to the monitoring team, the park’s eco-rangers and the team at the rehabilitation and resocialisation centre. Without them, this great project would not have become a reality.

12/05/2026

Today, in a very special moment for AAP, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands officially opened the new mammal building at our rescue centre in Almere! 👑

During the royal visit, the Queen toured the building, spoke with AAP staff members, and listened to the moving stories behind the animals currently in our care. The new mammal building is a much-needed addition to our rescue centre. AAP’s small mammals were previously housed in an old greenhouse, but it no longer met our standards after 30 years of use.

With this sustainable, future-proof building, we are now taking a huge step forward. Thanks to a smart climate control system and bespoke enclosures, we can offer these animals even better care. In fact, the first animals have already moved into the new building, and many more will follow soon.

In 2016 it was Queen Sofía of Spain who opened our Big Cats facility in Alicante – and today we were proud to again welcome royalty. We are grateful to Queen Máxima for joining us on this momentous occasion.

Together we are building a better future for endangered animals, now and in the years to come.

10/05/2026

🐅 After spending his entire life in the circus, white tiger Sona is now venturing outside for the first time – experiencing the feeling of grass under his paws. At 16 years old, Sona was the last tiger to be kept by a circus in Portugal. He was rescued and brought to AAP’s centre in Spain, where he was initially kept in quarantine.

But now the gate to his outside enclosure is open – and we are so excited to see him start to explore!

During his first few hours outside, his activity was limited, and his limp and lack of muscle tone were evident. He also has sores on his paw pads, particularly on his left hind leg. Access to natural terrain will aid his recovery and healing. We will continue to respect his pace and closely monitor his progress throughout this rehabilitation process.

05/05/2026

On 12 May 2026, Her Majesty Queen Máxima will visit AAP to officially open our brand-new Mammal Building! We are incredibly proud that she has agreed to be present. Her visit highlights the strong (inter)national recognition for the important work we do at AAP. 👑💛

The new building will provide care for a wide range of wild mammals, including common marmosets, sugar gliders, servals and meerkats. Most of these animals were rescued from being kept as pets, a role they are wholly unsuited for and should never have been put in.

Thanks to intelligent climate control and flexible enclosures, this new building will help us to care for these animals even better. 💚

The opening is by invitation only, but we will of course be sharing photos of this royal visit afterwards! 📸

24/04/2026

Do you know where the exotic pets you see online come from? Their owners might not either.

The patchwork of regulations across the EU means that it is difficult to trace the movements of wild animals across the market. This makes it difficult to tell if an animal purchased legally in one country was illegally traded from another, or even stolen from their native habitat.

Sasha is one such animal: a Japanese macaque rescued from a garden in Slovakia, where she had been living in unsuitable conditions among many other wild animals.

Both Sasha and another Japanese macaque, Kali, have microchips that contain information inconsistent with the findings of our vet, suggesting that they were either illegally traded or given false information to bypass registration.

We may never know for sure what happened to Sasha and Kali. But with the right regulation, we can help improve traceability for wild animals in Europe and prevent more animals from suffering in the pet trade.

Find out more about the EU Positive List and what you can do to make it a reality on our website.

18/04/2026

After years of performing in circuses, tiger Sona is finally able to be his natural self.

AAP rescued Sona from a circus in Portugal, where he had been living in a cramped trailer very different from the lush jungles and dense vegetation of his natural habitat.

Once his quarantine period is complete, he will have a much more natural life at our rescue centre in Spain.

Portugal's ban on the use of wild animals in entertainment has led to justice for Sona, but more animals are suffering in circuses across the EU.

The show cannot go on. We need an EU-level ban.

17/04/2026

We are closely monitoring the progress of the first Barbary macaques released into the wild as part of the project.

In the first few months, the 15 Barbary macaques thrived – moving around the area to find shelter, food, and resources. However, it is with great sadness that we share that some of the Barbary macaques did not make it through this year’s exceptionally hard winter in the mountains of Tazekka National Park.

Despite this, the nine members of the group that we can still locate represent a seed of hope for the reintroduction of the Barbary macaque into the forests of this iconic national park, where the species had gone extinct.

Now that the weather is improving, the team on the ground is closely monitoring them and preparing for the release of the second group of rescued Barbary macaques. Look out for more updates about this second group soon!

Agence Nationale des Eaux et Forêts - Maroc
Liverpool John Moores University Université de Rennes

Adres

Kemphaanpad 1
Almere
1358AC

Telefoon

+31365238787

Website

https://en.aap.eu/

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