Latest news with #BigCatSanctuary
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Last of rare cats rescued from shut down sanctuary permanently rehomed
The last of the rare and endangered cats rescued from a sanctuary which shut down after the boss was convicted of animal welfare offences has now been permanently rehomed. Blob the Bobcat was facing the possibility of euthanasia if a permanent home was not found after his rescue from the now closed Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire early this year. The group of big and small cats including the critically endangered Amur leopard, species of Eurasian Lynx, servals and pumas were rescued by Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. While 22 of the 23 rescues soon found homes across the UK, Blob was the last cat without a confirmed future. 'It was the final day, and Blob's life literally hung in the balance,' recalled Cam Whitnall, managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary. He added: 'I reached out to Lindsay at Wildside Exotic Rescue, who had already taken several pumas from the Cat Survival Trust. 'She agreed to take Blob temporarily. 'That day, I made a promise: I'd find Blob a permanent home in the UK.' The rescue operation came after the owner of Cat Survival Trust, Terrence Moore was disqualified from keeping animals for five years and ordered to pay costs of £14,380 on May 30 2024, according to Hertfordshire Constabulary. Moore, 78, of Codicote Road, Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, was found guilty of four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals by failing to seek proper and necessary veterinary care, and seven counts of using an endangered animal species for commercial gain without a licence following a trial at St Albans Crown Court in April and May last year. The ex-Sanctuary boss was acquitted of eight counts of causing unnecessary suffering, and four counts of commercial gain. Seven months on, Blob has now been found a permanent home at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford, Kent. From July 24, visitors will be able to meet Blob at the sanctuary for the first time during their open days.
The Sun
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Strictly's Tasha Ghouri gushes over new YouTuber boyfriend as she celebrates his 30th birthday
TASHA Ghouri has paid her new boyfriend a sweet compliment as he celebrates his 30th birthday. The Strictly runner-up is head over heels for YouTuber and big cat lover Cam Whitnall, with whom she went public over the weekend. 7 7 Now, Cam marked his milestone birthday with a smiley picture beside a collection of white and gold balloons. He wrote on Instagram: "Life at 30. Still wild. Just slightly more endangered. "Thank you so much for all the lovely birthday messages everyone! Grateful for the people, places and wild moments that have shaped the last three decades. "Here's to the next 30 years… for conservation, rescue and for giving wildlife the future it deserves." Referencing Cam's work as the managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary, Tasha commented: "Happy bday dr dolittle!!!" Strictly's Karen Hauer and broadcaster Kate Lawler also sent him birthday wishes. Tasha, 26, and Cam were pictured hand-in-hand at Fearne Cotton's Happy Place Festival in London at the weekend. An insider said: 'Tasha and Cam have been dating for just over a month and are really happy. 'She met him after moving close to where he lives and they connected on social media. 'They were all over each other at the Happy Place Festival where Tasha was giving a talk. 'Cam was in the audience and was grinning at her as she spoke with Fearne. 'It's clear there's a real spark between them.' Tasha, who found fame on Love Island in 2022, said she fell for Cam because of his ambition and drive. The Sun revealed how Tasha's romance with her Love Island boyfriend Andrew ended earlier this year - with her signing up to celebrity dating app Raya. But last week Andrew accused Tasha of cheating on him and signing up to the app while they were still together. His explosive comments came after Tasha opened up about finding love again on Rylan Clark's BBC podcast, How To Be In Love, where she also said she wanted to reconnect with Andrew for closure. In a statement posted on Instagram, Andrew said: 'The truth is… she went on Raya while we were still together… oops. 'No one is perfect in a relationship but you keep talking s*** about me, I'll start talking. 'She did one too many podcasts unfortunately. This is your closure chat.' He later backed down and said in another statement: 'Things were said on both sides, but at the end of the day, no relationship is perfect, but ours still had some incredible moments I'll always be grateful for.' Tasha opened up about her relationship with Cam, 30, last week, but refused to name him. Speaking on Rylan's podcast, she said: 'I remember seeing the guy I am dating on TikTok. 'I remember thinking he's got a really cool job, like Dr Doolittle. 7 7 7 'I slid into his DM's and he was like, 'Would you like to meet me for a drink now?' 'I was like, 'Why not?'.' Tasha, who competed on the last series of Strictly, added: "I thought you only live once. 'I went with an open mind and we clicked straight away. He is very ambitious, he is driven, he is caring. 'He's got all these amazing attributes that made me go, 'There is more I want to know about you.' 'And we've been enjoying our company and seeing what happens.' Cam's mother, Lynn, is the CEO of Paradise Wildlife Park, now known as Hertfordshire Zoo, which Cam and his two brothers, Aaron and Tyler, are heavily involved in. The trio created a TV series, One Zoo Three, for CBBC which followed them as they worked on the site. Cam is also the managing director of Paradise Wildlife Park's sister charity, The Big Cat Sanctuary.
Daily Mirror
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Celebrities flock to exciting new art show celebrating women
Two emerging artists launch new exhibition raising funds for causes close to their heart A host of famous faces turned out to support an exciting art exhibition championing women. Socialite Lady Victoria Hervey, Celebrity Big Brother favourite Nicola McLean and reality star Jack Fincham all attended the show the Yield Gallery. They all raised a toast to the She Who Dares showcase, with boasts work from two of the UK's most exciting emerging artists, Fern and Danielle Tomlinson. Also there was Love Island 's Tasha Ghouri 's new squeeze, wildlife YouTuber Cam Whitnall. The pair went public with their relationship at Ferne Cotton's Happy Place Festival at the weekend and are said to have been dating a couple of months. Fern and Danielle Tomlinson welcomed the celebs to the launch of their exhibition in London. Fern's work explores modern femininity through vivid colour and cultural commentary, while Danielle brings the animal kingdom to life with expressive wildlife portraits. Both artists are using their platforms to support causes they care deeply about. Fern will donate 5% of profits from her new series to Bowel Cancer UK, following her mother's recent diagnosis. And Danielle will donate 5% of her proceeds to Big Cat Sanctuary, aligning with her long standing advocacy for animal welfare and environmental stewardship. The exhibition is now open at the gallery's Eastcastle Street location just off Oxford Street. With pieces ranging from accessible limited edition prints (£500) to major original works (£20,000), She Who Dares is designed to welcome both seasoned and first time collectors. 'It was important to us that this show didn't just celebrate powerful women in art, but also empowered those behind the scenes, artists giving back, collectors engaging with purpose, and a gallery willing to take bold curatorial risks,' says David Izzard, Founder and CEO of Yield Gallery. 'This is the kind of exhibition that defines why we do what we do.' 'It's rare to see a joint show that balances such strong individuality with shared values,' adds Lily Pritchard, Creative Manager at Yield. 'This is about two women using art to express, challenge, and give back, and it's exactly the kind of energy the art world needs right now.' Artist Danielle knows Cam through their joint interest in Big Cat Sanctuary, a non-profit wild cat charity in Kent where he is director. Cam and Tasha were spotted holding hands on out at Fearne Cotton's Happy Place festival at Gunnersbury Park. Last week Tasha confirmed she'd bagged herself a new man. Saying she was in the 'early dating stages' with someone else, she told Rylan Clark in an interview: 'We clicked straight away, like he's very ambitious, he's driven… we've just been enjoying our company and just seeing what happens really.'
The Sun
14-06-2025
- The Sun
The tiny village an hour from London with its own Shakespeare house and award-winning micro bar
NESTLED away in the countryside of Kent is the village of Headcorn that has its own Shakespeare House and you might even see a big cat. The village is just an hour away from London - but with its quaint charm and Tudor houses it will feel like you're even further from the city. 5 5 Headcorn has even been listed as one of the 100 best commuter towns by The Telegraph, being praised for its "picturesque setting and rich history". Direct trains from London go from Charing Cross, stopping at the likes of Marden and Staplehurst - and it only takes an hour and five minutes. The village has a number of Grade II listed buildings and one of the more recognisable is called Shakespeare House which was built in the 16th century. In actual fact, it has nothing to do with Shakespeare, and was originally used for cloth production. Surprisingly, there's also the opportunity to see big cats like lynx, cheetahs, lions and leopards. Luckily, they'll be in enclosures at The Big Cat Sanctuary which is a registered animal charity dedicated to global conservation. For anyone who is curious about the sanctuary, you can even organise a stay there at one of their eight lodges. Nearby is also the Lashenden Air Warfare Museum, which for aviation enthusiasts, has an extensive collection of aircraft relics, mostly from World War Two. Headcorn dates back to Neolithic period and very near the local church are the remains of the Headcorn Oak tree. The huge tree was around 500 to a thousand years old when it was severely damaged by a fire in 1989. The up-and-coming English seaside town with cheap booze and huge beaches 5 It continued to grow until 1993 but only the remains of the old oak are left. As for what to do there, the Headcorn Farmers Market has stalls selling food, fruits and vegetables, homemade jams, honey, cakes and pastries too. Local artists selling handcrafted goods also set up shop so you can have a wander around. The market hits the streets on the second Saturday of every month. There's also three pubs, George & Dragon, The White Horse and Tap 17 Micro Bar. Tap 17 micro-bar, located in Headcorn won the "Pub/Bar of the Year" award at the Kent & Medway Food & Drink Awards. earlier this year. One visitor even called it the "best micropub ever" on Tripadvisor. 5 Headcorn is just 15-minutes away from the village of Sissinghurst which has its own castle. It's found in the borough of Tunbridge Wells in Kent and it has been included in the Telegraph's 10 prettiest villages in Kent 2024. Sissinghurst is best known for its famous gardens and castle that is run by the National Trust The village's tower was never actually a castle, but got that title from the 3,000 French sailors who were imprisoned there during the 1700s. You'll find Headcorn in 'Royal' English town which has one of the UK's fanciest Wetherspoons, and was named one of the top place to live in the UK. And another castle in Kent that people say looks like a Disney film. 5
BBC News
07-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
CCTV 'pivotal' in raising endangered snow leopard
The Big Cat Sanctuary An animal sanctuary has said that CCTV cameras are "absolutely pivotal" to their work as animal conservationists. The Big Cat Sanctuary, in Smarden, Kent, is dedicated to the conservation and rescue of cats. The sanctuary welcomed its latest arrival of an endangered snow leopard cub, nicknamed 'Little Lady', on 10 May. Curator Briony Smith told the BBC that CCTV "allows us to monitor the mothers, monitor the cubs, but also give them a bit of distance and not get too involved". Ms Smith acknowledged that a new cub was "just so cute" but explained that it was important people didn't lose sight of the work that they do. 'Little Lady's' mother, Laila, has had three previous litters with breeding partner Yarko as part of the sanctuary's wider European breeding programme. As well as monitoring new cubs through cameras, keepers and trainers at the sanctuary work closely with the cats to build the trust necessary for medical procedures. Laila's primary trainer Simon Jackaman has worked with her for seven years and even built an ultrasound table for the snow leopard. Mr Jackaman said he completed "mock scans" with Laila leading up to the pregnancy to get her used to human contact. Jack Valpy/ BBC Snow leopards are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list, with an estimated 2,700 to 3,300 mature adults remaining in the wild. The sanctuary is hoping that the new cub will be out in its enclosure in August, following essential vaccinations. Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@ or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250. Smarden
