‘It’s a beautiful day’ for Bono the black leopard
PLETTENBERG BAY - As with his namesake who belted out It's a beautiful day, it was a beautiful day indeed for Bono, an almost five-year-old black leopard who endured a torturous life in captivity, when he took his first tentative steps in his forever home at the Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary last week.
Bono was rescued in Riga, Latvia, where he spent his entire life up to now within the "suffocating confines of a small, dimly lit" apartment after his misguided owner bought him illegally as an exotic pet in 2018.
On Friday 21 September this year, after a long journey, Bono arrived at the sanctuary where he will live out the rest of his life in an enclosure that mimics his natural habitat as closely as possible.
Unfortunately Bono will never be able to survive in the wild as a result of the cruelty of his former owners. South African Animal Sanctuary Alliance (SAASA) spokesperson Vijver Jonk said the leopard's toes were amputated in a "cruel and illegal fashion", rendering him defenceless and robbing him of his essential tools for climbing and hunting. Over and above that, Bono also suffered from atrophied muscles and was malnourished before he was rescued.
Word of Bono's desperate situation reached the Stichting AAP, a European organisation that rescues and rehabilitates exotic animals in need.
"They knew that Bono's rescue would be challenging, but they were determined to give him a second chance at a life befitting his wild and regal nature," Jonk said.
Following a seizure of the leopard by police and a temporary stay at the Riga Zoo due to legal proceedings against the owners, the organisation relocated Bono to their centre AAP Primadomus in Spain.
"They worked tirelessly to build up his atrophied muscles and introduced him to a proper diet. As the days turned into weeks, Bono's transformation was nothing short of remarkable," recounted Jonk.
"His sleek, ebony coat regained its lustrous sheen and his eyes sparkled with the fire of a creature once again in touch with its wild instincts. Bono's rehabilitation was a testament to the resilience of nature."
On 19 September, Bono was deemed strong and healthy enough to undertake a trip to South Africa where the team at Jukani prepared a spacious enclosure, complete with trees to climb and open spaces to roam.
Upon arrival, SAASA curator Isabel Wentzel carefully opened his crate at the entrance of his new enclosure. Bono took a moment to scan his new surroundings before he carefully stepped out. It wasn't long before he realised he could stretch his limbs and he gave a mighty roar before sprinting across his enclosure, exploring his new surroundings.
Although a bit camera shy, Bono has adapted well to his new home. Unlike the rock star, his rescuers believe that he has indeed found what he was looking for.