A wildlife charity has announced it is “overjoyed” to be bringing three lions stranded in war-torn Ukraine to safety in Yorkshire, after a successful fundraising appeal.
Two of the lions — one-year-old siblings Rafael and Shanti — were discovered beside their dying mother in an abandoned private menagerie. Starved and left to fend for themselves, the pair “survived against all odds,” rescuers said.
The WildLife Foundation, based at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, launched an appeal in June to cover the 2,000-mile (3,200 km) journey to the UK. While the final amount raised hasn’t yet been confirmed, trustee Cheryl Williams said the charity was “thrilled to save these beautiful lions who have had such a tragic start in life.”
Since the invasion of Ukraine, countless animals have been left without food, water or shelter. Among them is Oleg, a young lion raised by people before his owners fled the Sumy region. For now, he lives alone in a rescue centre in Kyiv, but this autumn he will join Rafael and Shanti at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, where the trio will be introduced for the first time.
“Rafael and Shanti are inseparable, gentle, and curious around people,” said Charlotte MacDonald, the park’s director of animals. “We’re excited to give Oleg the chance to join them and finally live as part of a pride.”
This will be the park’s third major lion rescue. Its first, in 2010, saw 13 African lions brought from squalid conditions to a safe new home. In 2024, the team undertook a second mission, rescuing lioness Aysa and her cubs Emi, Santa, and Teddi, who traveled more than 2,000 miles across six countries after being abandoned in eastern Ukraine.
Williams said seeing the animals thrive makes the difficult missions worthwhile. “We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, and it’s wonderful to see the lions settling into their Yorkshire home.”
Yorkshire Wildlife Park CEO John Minion echoed the sentiment, praising the generosity of supporters. “The donations have been phenomenal. We can’t wait to welcome these new lions and are proud to be giving them a safe future.”