Lion's rescue

Mission Accomplished

Carmen with her first ever branch

 

We did it again, 2nd successful rescue/relocation with a 3rd to follow next week on the 4th Feb 2020.
5 Ukrainian lion cubs, Sandra, Carmen, Uma, Maya & Lion-EL were successfully relocated from Ukraine to a Sanctuary in South Africa on the 11 Dec 2019.

Their journey started 8 months ago when they were rescued by LAEO Ukraine with the support of WOW from a private zoo in a resort town on the Black Sea. These 5 had been ripped from their mothers at just a few days to be used for human interaction and as they grew so did their problems as the owner had no more use for them as they were getting to big and boisterous to be petted, fondled, poked and prodded by tourists wanting their photos taken. As they were not bringing in income for the owner he needed to get rid of them and we were informed by a local activist that these cubs were doomed for an even worse future and could possibly sold to circuses, traveling zoo's, roadside tourist attraction or even shot.

Fortunately we were able to negotiate their release to us and we moved them to a temporary facility while we got all necessary permits in place to transport them to Ubuntu Wildlife Sanctuary in North West, South Africa.
The cubs were crated and travel for 76 hours and +/-9400kms by road and air. They now live in a spacious quarantine enclosure, learning all the new sights, sounds and smells of Africa and also it gives vet time to do their various medical checks. In time they will be transferred a much bigger space of more than 15 hectares. It may seem small to some but these cubs have come from small concrete and steel cages with no future to speak of.
Now they can lie in the sun and just be lions...........
Click here to WATCH THE VIDEO of THEIR STORY........

Please DONATE www.laeoukraine.org/how-to-help to HELP us continue our work and get these 4 lions and many others waiting to be rescued, home to South Africa. We are a small organization with no financial assistance except that which is donated by supporters like you.