After traveling 2,000 kilometers across the European continent through Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Germany, seven rescued lions finally reached their new home at FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands.
FOUR PAWS, the global animal welfare organization, rescued three female and four male lions on September 29th from unsafe conditions at Picior de Munte in Southern Romania. After years of being exploited and kept in inappropriate conditions, the seven rescued lions can now finally start a life worthy of a lion.
“All seven lions have managed the long journey well. The vets checked on them during regular stops and the lions were calm most of the time. Some of them got a little nervous on arrival, which we expected. Now they can relax and get used to their new surroundings. Our experienced team at FELIDA will provide all the care these lions need,” said Ioana Gabriela Dungler, Director of the Wild Animal Department at FOUR PAWS and responsible for the rescue mission.
While lions Elza and Simba, who were kept separate from the others and need special care, will most likely stay at FELIDA, FOUR PAWS plans to bring the five younger lions to its LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa as soon as possible.
“These seven lions represent thousands of wild animals in captivity worldwide. When we turn the spotlight on these lions rescued from private keeping, we bring all those animals out of the dark who are still suffering,” said FOUR PAWS CEO Josef Pfabigan, who was also on-site in the Netherlands to welcome the new arrivals. “Our rescue missions are not only about providing a better life for individual animals, but also about creating awareness that we need to treat all creatures in this world with respect, empathy, and understanding.”
FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands is one of multiple FOUR PAWS’ sanctuaries worldwide for rescued wild animals. It functions as a special care facility for physically and mentally traumatized big cats. The big cats that recover from the hardships of their past can be transferred to LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. Animals that need lifelong intensive and special care, stay at FELIDA.
