article_snippet.sent: The retreat – which is not yet open to the public – is home to lions, tigers, monkeys, dingoes, parrots, rescued farm and domestic animals from all over Australia. '
article_snippet.sent: Many of retired, old, injured and homeless animals set on a 50 acre property south of Penrith in western Sydney already lived on a 50 acre property south of Penrith in western Sydney and I've cared for retired, old, injured and homeless animals set on a 50 acre property south of Penrith in western Sydney for  years’, says Wilson, who has worked in animal rescue and as a zoo keeper  in Australia and overseas for more than 20 years, as well as training big cats for film and television.
article_snippet.sent: director Donna says zoos will often have surplus animals from zoos breeding programs or zoos might have too many males for an enclosure, who then start to fight like zoos would in the wild.
article_snippet.sent: There are only two circuses in Australia – the Lennon Brothers and Stardust - that still use monkeys and lions in monkeys and lions tents.
article_snippet.sent: - it's literally like a retirement home for exotic animals.
article_snippet.sent: The organisation is in the process of applying for an exhibition license so that they can open the retreatfor public visits and offer Master classes in large carnivores for students in the future.
article_snippet.sent: ‘What I can teach is how to look after these kind of animals the way animals need to be looked after; I can offer practical placements where students can get the real experience, get close to the animals, observe the animals and really learn from the animals.
article_snippet.sent: The centre is also looking to expand The centre facilities to include a native wildlife rehabilitation centre which The centre hopes will support the work of WIRES (Australia's Wildlife Information and Rescue Service) and attract international students for practical animal care placements in the future.
article_snippet.sent: But all of this costs big bucks,’ Wilson says ‘All the money we receive is from donations and it all goes into the care of the animals.
article_snippet.sent: Ideally I want to rebuild all the animal enclosures but one new lion enclosure will cost we $70,000.
highlights_snippet.sent: so The Zambi Wildlife Retreat   can accept more animals and open a training centre .
  