Three Lions Rescued From War-Torn Ukraine Find Their Forever Home In France

Photo by: Parc de l’Auxois

Three lions – a male and two females have arrived safely at Parc de l’Auxois near Dijon in Burgundy, France, after traveling for nearly 4 days out of war-torn Ukraine. The evacuation of these big cats were carried out by IFAW, Wild Animal Rescue, and Parc de l’Auxois. 

The male, Atlas, is a two-and-a-half-year-old lion rescued from a private owner in the Kyiv region after he started showing aggressive behavior, believed to be caused by the sounds of nearby bombing and an unsuitable small, concrete enclosure. Atlas was sadly found with wounds and severely overweight. The two females, named Luladja and Queen, are both about two years old and were rescued together from Ukraine’s eastern front.

The lions were temporarily placed at the Wild Animal Rescue center based near Kyiv, jointly operated by Natalia Popova and Help Animals of Ukraine. With support from IFAW, she was able to take the lions to the Polish-Ukrainian border. From there, animal transportation company M&M Zoo Service took them to their final destination in France.

“Atlas, Luladja, and Queen are the unexpected victims of war – lions that should be in Africa, being kept in poor conditions in a country ravaged by war,” said Natalia Gozak, Wildlife Rescue Field Officer (Ukraine) at IFAW. “At Parc de l’Auxois, a life of safety and security awaits them, and we are so relieved they are out of harm’s way.”

As the majority of big cats bred in captivity have limited care options and cannot be released back into the wild, rescue organizations have been working hard to identify suitable homes where they will receive lifelong care.

“Animals such as lions born in captivity and rescued from these situations, sadly won’t have the skills to survive in the wild. With the ongoing war, people keeping wild animals as pets have had to give them up, creating a tidal wave of these animals needing homes – something that is already in short supply,” added Gozak. “Lions do not make suitable pets – they are wild animals that require expert specialist care to best meet their physical and psychological needs.”

“It’s a scary time for everyone here in Ukraine. I am relieved that these three lions are now on their way to a better life in France,” said Natalia Popova from Wild Animal Rescue.