A lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has stepped outside for the first time at a sanctuary in Kent. Three-year-old Yuna, who was suffering from shell shock, arrived at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden on August 17 and initially remained indoors for a week.
The sanctuary reported that Yuna, who had been confined to a small, concrete enclosure, has started to show her playful and inquisitive side. She has ventured outside her enclosure, experiencing the sensation of grass under her paws for the first time and enjoying the textures of trees and logs.
Yuna’s trauma stems from a missile attack that occurred just 300 meters (984 feet) from her former small enclosure. She was rescued and taken to Wild Animal Rescue near Kyiv, a facility supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Prior to Russia’s invasion, she had been kept in a private home.
Rori, a male lion currently in Belgium, is expected to join Yuna at the sanctuary once a specially constructed enclosure is completed in November. Cam Whitnall from The Big Cat Sanctuary shared that staff are gently acclimating Yuna to her new environment by talking to her and monitoring her progress. “She spends a few hours outside each day, but we’re keeping a close eye on her as she’s still quite wobbly,” he said.
Yuna has also engaged in playful activities, such as play fighting with plants and bark, and has shown curiosity about the rain—an experience she had never encountered before. The sanctuary is working to raise £500,000 to finish the facility, which will ultimately allow them to bring a total of five lions from Kyiv to Kent.