A BUSINESSMAN faces financial ruin in a bid to save the lives of endangered animals.

Conservationist Adam Murry, who already spends most of his income on helping the creatures, has re-mortgaged his Poole home and sold his jewellery shop, his car and even his watch.

He has even sacrificed his personal life in a quest to help keep the animals alive in South Africa.

"I'm taking a huge risk, but I didn't really have a choice," he said. "I couldn't live with myself if we had lost the animals and there was something I could have done.

"I have sacrificed everything, but I believe in what I'm doing 100 per cent. People might think I'm mad - that I'm risking my livelihood and my future for the sake of some animals. But it's about so much more than that.

"If we can teach a child compassion towards animals, that child will grow up to be a compassionate person."

A dispute over land deeds forced the Bill Jordan Foundation to look for a new home for thousands of creatures living under its protection at the SanWild centre in South Africa.

It needed to raise £1 million to buy a 70,000-acre plot of nearby land or face the prospect of having to put down thousands of lions, rhinos and elephants it has rescued from the clutches of poachers.

All seemed lost until Mr Murry, the charity's director, gave up almost all his assets to save the creatures he has spent years helping to protect.

Mr Murry has used his house and the rest of his businesses to guarantee a £700,000 bank loan, but if he defaults on the repayments he could lose everything.

The charity is still £240,000 short.

Mr Murry has renegotiated payment of the outstanding cash, but with heavy repayments on the bank loan, the businessman and animals face disaster unless the rest of the money can be found.

For details visit www.wildlifefedefence.org or send a cheque payable to The Bill Jordan Foundation Appeal, Unit 4A, Westlands Drive, Poole, BH13 7LS.