Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary

Last updated
Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary
Founded1978
FoundersJama Hedgecoth
58-1909303
Focus Animal rescue, Wildlife rehabilitation
Location
Coordinates 33°18′22″N84°07′39″W / 33.30611°N 84.12750°W / 33.30611; -84.12750
Key people
Charles Hedgecoth Jr. (Secretary)
Karen Thomas (Chairperson)
Revenue
$1,801,891 (2022) [1]
Website noahs-ark.org

Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit American domestic, wildlife, and exotic animal rescue and rehabilitation center. It is located on 250 acres in Locust Grove, Georgia and houses over 1,500 animals. [2] Many of the center's animals were rescued from unlicensed owners, donated by circuses and zoos, or surrendered by individuals who were either unable to provide the proper care or did not want them.

Contents

History

Founded by Jama and Charles Hedgecoth in 1978, the center was originally located on a small farm in Ellenwood. [3] In 1990, Noah's Ark moved to a 122-acre property in Locust Grove, Georgia in part through the financial help of an anonymous benefactor. [3] In 1992, they expanded the center to include the Noah's Ark Children Care Home for foster children. [4]

Animals

In total, Noah's Ark is home to 38 animal enclosures, each of which house a variety of animals that accumulate to over 100 different species. [5] Inhabitants include animals such as Bengal tigers, American black bears, American mustangs, bison, porcupines, Sulcata tortoises, silver foxes, llamas, and ostriches. Noah's Ark is also home to a more unique bunch of animals such as Zuri the white tiger, Zipper the zonkey, Skunk the beefalo, and Grace the wolfdog hybrid.

A majority of the enclosures are located to the east of the sanctuary entrance and are easily walkable along the paved trails. While visiting Noah's Ark, the experience is typically self-guided so visitors can explore at their own pace, but guided tours are available as well. Most of the animal enclosures are marked with name tags and contain information pertaining to that specific animal.

BLT

In 2001, the center acquired a trio of captive young animals (a bear cub, a lion cub, and a tiger cub) after they were confiscated from a convicted drug dealer during a raid at an Atlanta home. [6] The three cubs were brought to Noah's Ark by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources with many health problems. [6] When the animals were separated for treatment, the caretakers noticed a change in their behavior. [7] : 22  The bonded cubs have been housed together in a special exhibit called "The Clubhouse" ever since.

Baloo

Baloo is a male American black bear weighing in over 800 pounds. [7] : 34  Upon his arrival to Noah's ark, Baloo had to undergo surgery to remove the harness that he had long outgrown. The harness had become so severely ingrown to the extent that his growing body began to form around it, causing much pain. [7] : 21 

Baloo currently enjoys being in the creek that runs along his enclosure or relaxing on the porch connected to the clubhouse. [7] : 32–33  He also enjoys the occasional Tootsie Pop or Oreo as those are his favorite treats. [7] : 34 

In 2021 Baloo, the only surviving BLT member, celebrated his 20th birthday in the park.

Leo

Leo was a male African lion that weighed in at 430 pounds. [7] : 36  Leo also suffered physically from their treatment prior to arriving at Noah's Ark. He was kept in a cage too small to accommodate his growing frame and as a result, he sustained an abrasion to the nose, [7] : 20  leaving behind a slight scar in his later years.

In late summer of 2016, caretakers noticed a change in Leo's behavior. During surgery some time later, it was found that Leo's liver had become compromised with a large amount of inoperable tumors. [8] As a result of this discovery on August 11, Leo was put to sleep at the age of fifteen. He has been laid to rest in the trio's enclosure where a statue stands in his memory.

Shere Khan

Shere Khan was a male Bengal tiger that weighed in at 360 pounds. [7] : 39  Like his brothers, Shere Khan arrived at Noah's Ark extremely malnourished and in need of specialized care. He healed quickly and soon grew into his role as the trio's most playful and mischievous sibling. [7] : 38 

In late 2018, Shere Khan fell ill and in early December it was reported that he was in critical condition. [9] On December 18, he died at 17 and a half years of age as a result of failing body functions. [10] Shere Khan has been laid to rest next to his brother, Leo.

Facilities

The sanctuary contains a welcome center, a gift shop, a playground, a picnic area, and a memorial garden.

Related Research Articles

Raksha (<i>The Jungle Book</i>) Fictional character

Raksha is a fictional character featured in Rudyard Kipling's Mowgli stories, collected in The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baloo</span> Fictional sloth bear

Baloo is a main fictional character featured in Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book from 1894 and The Second Jungle Book from 1895. Baloo, a sloth bear, is the strict teacher of the cubs of the Seeonee wolf pack. His most challenging pupil is the "man-cub" Mowgli. Baloo and Bagheera, a panther, save Mowgli from Shere Khan the tiger, and endeavor to teach Mowgli the Law of the Jungle in many of The Jungle Book stories.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bagheera</span> Fictional panther from Kiplings Jungle Book

Bagheera is a fictional character in Rudyard Kipling's Mowgli stories in The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book. He is a black panther who serves as friend, protector and mentor to the "man-cub" Mowgli. The word bagheera is Hindi for panther or leopard, although the root word bagh means any form of panthera and is nowadays mostly used to refer to the Royal Bengal tiger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shere Khan</span> Fictional tiger and main antagonist from author Rudyard Kiplings "The Jungle Book"

Shere Khan is a fictional Bengal tiger in Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book and its adaptations, in which he is often portrayed as the main antagonist. The name roughly translates as tiger ruler, with shere being the Persian word for 'tiger' and khan being used as a title of distinction among the Turco-Mongol peoples, usually meaning chief or ruler. According to The Kipling Society, the name "show[s] that he is the chief among tigers".

<i>The Jungle Book 2</i> 2003 Disney animated film directed by Steve Trenbirth

The Jungle Book 2 is a 2003 animated adventure film produced by the Australian office at DisneyToon Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution. The theatrical version of the film was released in France on February 5, 2003, and released in the United States on February 14. The film is a sequel to Walt Disney's 1967 film The Jungle Book, and stars Haley Joel Osment as the voice of Mowgli and John Goodman as the voice of Baloo.

<i>The Jungle Book</i> (1994 film) 1994 American film

Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, also known as The Jungle Book, is a 1994 American adventure film co-written and directed by Stephen Sommers, produced by Edward S. Feldman and Raju Patel, from a story by Ronald Yanover and Mark Geldman. It is a live-action adaptation of the Mowgli stories from The Jungle Book (1894) and The Second Jungle Book (1895) by Rudyard Kipling. Unlike its counterparts, the animal characters in this film do not talk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mowgli's Brothers</span> 1894 short story by Rudyard Kipling

"Mowgli's Brothers" is a short story by Rudyard Kipling. Chronologically, it is the first story about Mowgli although it was written after "In the Rukh", in which Mowgli appears as an adult.

<i>Jungle Cubs</i> American animated television series

Disney's Jungle Cubs is an American animated series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation for ABC in 1996, serving as the prequel to the 1967 film The Jungle Book as it's set in the youth of the animal characters years before the events of the film. The show was a hit, running for two seasons on ABC from 1996 to 1998 before its syndication in re-runs on the Disney Channel. The show was broadcast on Toon Disney, but was taken off the schedule in 2001. Re-runs aired on Disney Junior in the US from 2012 to 2013. The show also aired in the United Kingdom on Disney Cinemagic and in Latin America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Noah's Ark Zoo Farm</span> Creationist zoo in England

Noah's Ark Zoo Farm is a 100-acre (40 ha) zoo developed on a working farm in Wraxall, North Somerset, 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Bristol, England.

<i>The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo</i> 1997 American film

Rudyard Kipling's The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli & Baloo is a 1997 American adventure film starring Jamie Williams as Mowgli, with Roddy McDowall and Billy Campbell in supporting roles. It is a live action adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. The film was adapted for the screen by Bayard Johnson and Matthew Horton.

<i>Adventures of Mowgli</i> 1967 Soviet film

Adventures of Mowgli is an animated feature-length story originally released as five animated shorts of about 20 minutes each between 1967 and 1971 in the Soviet Union. It is based on Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. They were directed by Roman Davydov and made by Soyuzmultfilm studio. In 1973, the five films were combined into a single 96-minute feature film. The Russian DVD release of the restored footage, distributed by "Krupnyy Plan" and "Lizard", separates the animation into the original five parts.

<i>The Jungle Book</i> (1989 TV series) Italian-Japanese anime television series

The Jungle Book is an Italian-Japanese anime adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's original collection of stories, The Jungle Book. It aired in 1989, and consists of a total of 52 episodes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ming of Harlem</span> Tiger kept in New York City

Ming was a tiger that was found living in an apartment in Harlem, New York City, in October 2003, when he was approximately three years old. Ming lived semi-openly with his owner, Antoine Yates, in a room of Yates' five-bedroom apartment on the fifth floor of a large public housing complex in Harlem. Several other normal and exotic pets were found in the apartment, including an alligator named Al in another bedroom.

<i>The Jungle Book: Mowglis Story</i> 1998 American film

The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story is a 1998 American adventure film directed by Nick Marck, produced by Mark H. Orvitz and written by José Rivera and Jim Herzfeld. It is the third film adaptation by The Walt Disney Company of the Mowgli stories from The Jungle Book (1894) by Rudyard Kipling. It stars Brandon Baker, and features the voice work of Brian Doyle-Murray, Eartha Kitt, Clancy Brown, Peri Gilpin, and Sherman Howard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tigon</span> Tiger and lioness hybrid

The tigon is a hybrid offspring of a male tiger and a lioness, or female lion. They exhibit visible characteristics from both parents: they can have both spots from the mother and stripes from the father. Any mane that a male tigon may have will appear shorter and less noticeable than a lion's mane and is closer in type to the ruff of a male tiger.

Djungelboken is a Swedish play written by Alexander Mørk-Eidem based on Kipling's The Jungle Book, with music and song lyrics by Eric Gadd. It premiered on Stockholm City Theatre in January 2007. While staying moderately true to the original with a few references to the Disney version played for laughs, the play is located in a post-apocalyptic Stockholm, specifically, a destroyed version of the square outside the theatre. The animals are portrayed not with animal costumes or make-up but rather as different social and cultural groups.

<i>The Jungle Book</i> (2010 TV series) 3D CGI animated television series

The Jungle Book is a 3D CGI animated television series co-produced by DQ Entertainment International, MoonScoop, Ellipsanime Productions, ZDF, ZDF Enterprises, TF1 and Les Cartooneurs Associés. It is based on the Rudyard Kipling book of the same name.

<i>Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle</i> 2018 film directed by Andy Serkis

Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle is a 2018 adventure drama film directed by Andy Serkis with a screenplay by Callie Kloves, based on stories collected in All the Mowgli Stories by Rudyard Kipling. The film stars Rohan Chand, Matthew Rhys, and Freida Pinto, along with voice and motion-capture performances from Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Benedict Cumberbatch, Naomie Harris, and Serkis. In the film, an orphaned human boy who was raised by wolves, sets out on a journey to find a human village while evading Shere Khan.

The Jungle Book is a Disney media franchise that commenced in 1967 with the theatrical release of The Jungle Book. It is based on Rudyard Kipling's works of the same name. The franchise includes a 2003 sequel to the animated film and three live-action films produced by Walt Disney Pictures.

References

  1. ↑ "Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax" (PDF). 2024-02-02. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
  2. ↑ Emerson, Bo (October 18, 2013). "Noah's Ark: the peaceable kingdom in Locust Grove". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Archived from the original on 2023-04-30. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  3. 1 2 Williams, Paige (October 1, 2009). "Lucky Stripes". Atlanta . Vol. 49, no. 6. p. 117. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Kids to board Noah's Ark: Couple running home for 700 animals to add human charges". The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution . January 20, 1993. p. C4.
  5. ↑ "About the Ark - Noah's Ark".
  6. 1 2 Crenshaw, Wayne (October 31, 2015). "A bear, a lion and a tiger are a family at Noah's Ark in Locust Grove". The Macon Telegraph . Archived from the original on 2015-11-04. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Ritchey, Kate (2015). Lion, Tiger, and Bear. Penguin Young Readers. ISBN   978-0-448-48337-5.
  8. ↑ Emerson, Bo (August 12, 2016). "Leo the lion dies at Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Archived from the original on 2022-07-05. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  9. ↑ Poole, Shelia (December 5, 2018). "Noah's Ark official says Shere Khan is in "critical" condition". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  10. ↑ Poole, Shelia (December 18, 2018). "Update: Shere Khan, beloved Bengal tiger, dies". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . Archived from the original on 2022-01-28. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.