Seven things: Wildlife sanctuaries around the county

Wild Ireland
Wild Ireland is an animal sanctuary located in “an ancient Celtic rainforest” and based in Dundrain, Burnfoot. Wild Ireland was established by Killian McLaughlin in 2019, a Buncrana native who is also a solicitor and zoologist. McLaughlin has worked with international charities to rescue animals and bring them back to Ireland for rehabilitation and return previously extinct native animals to Ireland.

The sanctuary offers rescue and gives a natural habitat to various animals who have been abandoned, exploited or abused. Not only that, they also host educational talks in a bid to inform visitors of important conservation issues and welfare. While offering animal sanctuary, the environment is also sustainable and ethical. 

Killian McLaughlin pictured alongside the wolves that he reintroduced into the ecosystem in Donegal Photo: Wild Ireland

As of 2024, Wild Ireland has rescued over 100 animals, educated over 100,000 visitors and planted over 10,000 trees which helps to restore the rainforest in which the sanctuary is located.

Wild Ireland takes you through Ireland’s previous native wildlife. The sanctuary has over 200 animals and is home to brown bears, lynx, monkeys, wolves, wild boars and birds. The three brown bears at the sanctuary were rescued from a museum in Lithuania where they were subject to harsh conditons. 

Naoise the Lynx Photo: Wild Ireland

Wild Ireland was the subject of a TV documentary called Return Of The Wild - The Bearman Of Buncrana which first aired on RTÉ in 2020 and hit Netflix in 2023.