Zanchieta Wildlife Rescue & Lodge

Zanchieta Wildlife Rescue & Lodge Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre & Sanctuary, Zanchieta VolunteerProject, Vetz at Wild Students, Big Cat Volunteers, Guided Tours, Lodge, Campsite, Functions

Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre & Sanctuary 🐾 | Big Cat Conservation Volunteer Project 🦁 | Vetz@Wild Students 🩺 | Guided Tours & Lodge Stays 🌿 | Functions & Events 🎉

🐗 FROM RESCUE TO REWILDED: Our Warthog Boys Take Their First Steps Into Freedom! 🌿✨There is an unspoken promise at the c...
13/06/2026

🐗 FROM RESCUE TO REWILDED: Our Warthog Boys Take Their First Steps Into Freedom! 🌿✨

There is an unspoken promise at the core of true, ethical conservation work: we rescue, we rehabilitate, so that one day, we can release.

2/06/2026 that promise was officially fulfilled. Our hearts are bursting with pride as we share that our resident warthog boys have been successfully released into the breathtaking, protected expanse of the Rustfontein Nature Conservation area! 🌲🌍

The Journey to the Veld

Getting these boys ready for the wild was a massive team effort. Day in and day out, our dedicated Wildlife Wings crew put in the sweat and hard work behind the scenes. From meticulous species-specific diet formulations to designing dynamic structural enrichment to keep their minds and instincts sharp, every single task was building up to this exact moment.

Watching them step out of their transport crates, lift their tails, and confidently trot out into the massive South African horizon is the ultimate reward. No gimmicks, no tourist interactions—just pure, wild freedom. They are exactly where they belong.
A Massive Salute to Our Rewilders! 🙌

A monumental thank you goes out to our tireless rewilders, our staff, and our veterinary partners who poured their energy and passion into these boys. This victory belongs to the entire collective team.

To our warthog boys: Go wild, dig deep, and enjoy the absolute peace of your beautiful new home! 🐾💨

Wildlife Rescue & LodgeLizette van SchalkwykSarah E. Bush

Our Volunteers are doing such amazing work !! Thank you for all the hard work and dedication !! Want to volunteer ? 072 ...
31/05/2026

Our Volunteers are doing such amazing work !! Thank you for all the hard work and dedication !!

Want to volunteer ?
072 200 3272

@topfans

25/05/2026

The difference between a predator and a house cat? About 3 meters of vertical jump. 😺 Our moerbei tree trimming session turned into an impromptu agility trial for our favorite local resident.

UPDATE: The boys have been rewilded!! Thank you for all the support ! 🐗 THE GRAND WARTHOG ROAD TRIP: Fuel Thor & Thunder...
25/05/2026

UPDATE: The boys have been rewilded!! Thank you for all the support !

🐗 THE GRAND WARTHOG ROAD TRIP: Fuel Thor & Thunder’s Release! ⚡

It is officially happening. Thor and Thunder have been cleared for a one-way ticket to a massive, beautiful new release location! 🙌🌾

Our favorite tusky duo have done the time, perfected their mud-wallowing skills, and honestly, they are ready to pack their bags and go wild.

There’s just one tiny hitch... Two absolute legends do not fit into the back of a regular hatchback. And to make matters worse, they are terrible at pitching in for petrol. ⛽❌

Moving warthogs safely to a wild release site requires heavy-duty transport trucks, a dedicated support team, and a serious amount of diesel. We are handling all the chaotic logistics, the boring paperwork, and the heavy lifting, but we need our global Zanchieta family to help us actually turn the key. 🚙💨

We need to raise urgent funds to fill the tanks and cover the release support to get these boys to the finish line.

How you can sponsor the journey:

⛽ Buy a Liter: Keep the wheels turning.

🪵 Sponsor a Road-Trip Snack: Keep the release team moving.

📣 Share the Vibe: Tell every wildlife lover you know!

Let’s fuel the truck and give Thor and Thunder the freedom they deserve! 🐗🐗

👇 Drop your diesel donations here:
Donate via our website: www.zanchieta.co.za
💳 PayPal: [email protected]
📧 Email: [email protected]
📞 Call: 072 200 3272

24/05/2026

Plot twist: The "King of the Jungle" is actually just a giant, oversized house cat with a massive ego and a serious love for balls. 🦁✨

Watching her play is our favorite kind of chaos. It’s hard to stay serious when she’s pouncing around like a kitten, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

How’s your Sunday looking? Hopefully, it involves as much joy as this! 🐾



@topfansZanchieta Wildlife Rescue & LodgeOFM, The Sound Of Your LifeLizette van SchalkwykSarah E. Bush

Lions, like all cats, leave tracks with distinct features. You can identify a print's position (front vs. back) and orie...
23/05/2026

Lions, like all cats, leave tracks with distinct features. You can identify a print's position (front vs. back) and orientation (left vs. right) by analyzing the size of the paw, the number of toes, and the asymmetry of the track

🦁Front vs. Back Paws 🐾
A simple rule is that a lion’s front paws are larger and broader than their back paws. This size difference accommodates the heavy weight of their head, neck, and shoulders

🦁Left vs. Right Paws
Because a lion’s toes do not sit in a perfectly straight line, the print is asymmetrical. You can determine left from right by identifying the leading toe

🦁Male vs. Female Paws Sizes:🐾
Male lions are much heavier and bear more weight on their heads and chests, making their front paws significantly wider and larger.

🦁Measurements:
An adult male's front footprint usually measures around \(13\) to \(15\ cm in length and \(11\) to \(13\ cm in width (the heel pad alone is usually wider than \(5\ cm.
A female lion's front paw is generally smaller and measures around \(12\) to \(13\ cm

They say the sunset is nature’s way of saying, "well done." 🧡As the sun sets over the Free State plains today, our team ...
22/05/2026

They say the sunset is nature’s way of saying, "well done." 🧡

As the sun sets over the Free State plains today, our team at Zanchietra is taking a moment to breathe in this view and feel grateful for the work we do. Every animal we care for gets to see another sunset because of the support from our amazing community.

If you could describe this view in just one word, what would it be? Let us know below!

🤍 Remembering Kalahari & Okavango 🐾Some beautiful, quiet moments spent honoring our boys today. We went down to the encl...
20/05/2026

🤍 Remembering Kalahari & Okavango 🐾

Some beautiful, quiet moments spent honoring our boys today. We went down to the enclosure to hang crosses for Kalahari and Okavango, our first two lions who paved the way for everything we do.

Seeing the crosses catch the afternoon light on the fence line brings a sense of peace. They taught us so much, brought so much joy, and their legacy is etched into the very soil of this sanctuary.

Forever loved, never forgotten. ✨

12/02/2026

From rescued to regal… Titan walks with the heart of a king and the soul of the wild.

Address

Helena Road, Bainsvlei/Waterbron
Bloemfontein
9330

Telephone

+27722003272

Website

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