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Read moreFirst of five lions arrives in the UK from Ukraine
(London, 19 August 2024) – A young lioness has arrived safely at her forever home at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, after travelling over 1,400 miles from war-torn Ukraine.
The lioness, named Yuna, has already had a traumatic life. Yuna was rescued from a house close to where there had been explosions, in poor conditions, being bullied by another lion, Atlas. In January 2024, debris was blasted so close to Yuna’s enclosure that she suffered from shell shock and loss of coordination. She was surrendered to the facility at Wild Animal Rescue, which has been supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Yuna is the first of a cohort of lions being moved to The Big Cat Sanctuary, which is urgently looking to raise funds to build the enclosures for the remaining lions that they are taking on. While The Big Cat Sanctuary has immediate capacity for one lion, temporary homes have been identified in Belgium where the other lions will stay in safety for the coming months until their forever homes are ready.
The other lions include Rori – a male lion, who also suffered shell shock. He moved with Yuna in the same journey, although he was dropped off en-route at Natuurhulpcentrum VZW in Belgium. Two young sisters – Amani and Lira, thought to be around one year old – will be moving to Pairi Daiza in Belgium. Finally, a young lioness, Vanda, who was being kept in an apartment block in Southeastern Ukraine near where a nuclear power plant is located. She was so malnourished she appeared the size of a three to four-month-old cub, despite being about eight months old, as her growth development had been stunted. She will be going to ZOO Planckendael in Belgium.
“When we heard about the heart-breaking plight of these lions, we knew we had to do something, even though we didn’t have the space”, said Cameron Whitnall of The Big Cat Sanctuary. “We immediately got to work, trying to find out how to make this idea a reality. It’s a race against time, but we are determined to give them the best possible forever home they can have – that's our mission because they deserve it after all they’ve been through,” Whitnall added.
Once these big cats are moved, this means the remaining five lions that IFAW supported at Wild Animal Rescue will have been successfully placed in safe homes. This marks another milestone for Wild Animal Rescue and IFAW – helping to secure homes for 21 big cats in total.
“Ukraine is now no stranger to tragedy, and the stories of these big cats are no different. I am happy, that at least for them, they are heading to a safer place. The Big Cat Sanctuary has offered permanent homes to the remaining lions, including Yuna who we feared might not be homed due to her psychological issues,” says Natalia Gozak, who has been coordinating these evacuations on behalf of IFAW and Wild Animal Rescue.
Most big cats bred in captivity cannot be released into the wild, so IFAW, animal welfare groups and partners work to identify suitable homes where they will receive lifelong care. Housing options are scarce, and the ongoing war has caused a marked influx of animals needing homes, straining the already limited number of suitable venues with capacity. The Big Cat Sanctuary is now building bespoke enclosures to ensure the rescued big cats will have the very best care.
“Wild animals born in captivity and rescued from these situations, sadly cannot return to the wild, where they belong,” added Gozak. “Lions do not make suitable pets – they are wild animals so require expert specialist care to best meet their physical and psychological needs.”
“It’s a scary time for everyone here in Ukraine. These big cats must have been so frightened and confused – some were born during the conflict and know no life other than the constant chaos of war, some have been directly impacted by shelling. I am relieved these lions now have a better life ahead,” Natalia Popova, Wild Animal Rescue, said.
The remaining lions will stay in the temporary facilities in Belgium as construction plans for their enclosures are underway at The Big Cat Sanctuary. Once built, they will be welcomed into their forever homes.
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Notes to editors
Lions to be moved to The Big Cat Sanctuary:
Press contact
For questions or interviews, please contact:
Kirsty Warren
Senior Communications Manager
+44 (0) 7809 269 747
kwarren@ifaw.org
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