Four traumatised lions rescued from war-torn Ukraine are due to arrive at a specially-built new ‘forever home’ in the UK next month – to join one already in residence.
The Big Cat Sanctuary in the village of Smarden, Kent, has raised £500,000 (AED2.29m) to create the Lion Rescue Centre for the big cats which are being temporarily kept in Belgium.
Major progress has been made at the state-of-the-art facility, which will soon serve as the forever home for Yuna, Rori, Vanda, Amani and Lira who have each endured unimaginable lives.
‘This is it. Everything is coming together!’ Cam Whitnall, Project Lead at The Big Cat Sanctuary said. ‘All the hard work is paying off, and we are inching closer every day to completing the Lion Rescue Centre and welcoming all the lions. Our team have been counting down to this moment, and now our end goal and vision is finally within reach.’
The construction of the centre faced significant challenges during the winter months due to heavy downpours creating tough, muddy conditions. Despite obstacles, the team are on track to complete the sanctuary next month.
Yuna, a female, had been living in an enclosure measuring three metres by four metres with a bare concrete floor in Ukraine, and had been suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In March, Rori, Vanda, Amani and Lira will embark on their long-awaited journey to the Big Cat Sanctuary, where they will be reunited with Yuna, who has been at the sanctuary since August. The lions have spent the past months in facilities offering temporary care across Belgium – Rori at Natuur Hulp Centrum, Vanda at Planckendael Zoo, and Amani and Lira at Pairi Daiza.
Yuna, a female, had been living in an enclosure measuring three metres by four metres with a bare concrete floor in Ukraine, and had been suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
This was believed to have been caused by proximity to explosions.
The sanctuary said : ‘When evacuated, she was in such bad health she could not stand on her feet due to the heavy shelling.
‘Debris fell approximately 300m from Yuna’s enclosure and caused her to suffer a severe concussion, which led to a complete loss of co-ordination.’
Traumatised she initially stayed inside her enclosure but has since settled well, the sanctuary said.
Of the newcomers, female lion Vanda is approximately one-year-old and was rescued from a flat where she had been kept as a family pet where she had no access to sun and was severely malnourished. Sisters Amani and Lira, also both about a year old, had been illegally bred for photo exploitation purposes.
Rori, a male, was most likely kept for breeding purposes, and when first rescued could not stand, most likely due to the effects of shelling.
Cam Whitnall added: ‘We cannot wait to welcome Rori, Vanda, Amani, and Lira to the sanctuary. We have been receiving regular updates on the lions, and I have even had the chance to visit them at their temporary homes.
‘Amani and Lira share a beautiful bond and never leave each others side.’ he adds. ‘Vanda is a sweet and playful lioness, often stalking people while Rori might soon be the nosiest cat at the sanctuary, we have been told he has an almighty roar.’
‘I am incredibly grateful to our partners for providing a temporary home for the lions, but I am
counting down the days until we can welcome them to the sanctuary next month.’
