The lions, who were born into a circus had been kept in squalid conditions and made to perform for the public, finally tasted freedom when they took their first steps on the vast park.
JIMMY NSUBUGA: ‘A group of former circus lions have been successfully transported to South Africa after a gruelling 76-hour trip from Ukraine. Lioness twins Charlie and Kai, four, their younger sister Luca, aged three, and pup Nathan travelled nearly 8,000 miles to the Kragga Kamma Game Reserve. The animals, who were born into a circus, finally tasted freedom when they took their first steps on the vast park, which is 14,000 square metres. Activist Lionel De Lange, 53, from the Lawrence Anthony Earth Organization Ukraine (LAEO), was the driving force behind their return and described the moment they arrived. He said: ‘It was unbelievable, I almost can’t put it into words.
“It was a hard trip but the vet checked them over and once the anaesthetic wore off they ready, after travelling for more than 76 hours from crate to enclosure. Six weeks ago, I didn’t think we’d get this far, and six months ago I didn’t think we’d make it, but we have”… The lions had been kept in squalid conditions and made to perform for the public… The Kragga Kamma Game Reserve is owned by Mr De Lange’s childhood friend Mike Cantor and his wife Ayesha. The couple have invested R250,000 (around £14,000) building the new enclosure for the lions which has been dug into the earth to allow viewing and education for the public. Mr De Lange is not finished yet rescuing animals and plans to launch another rescue of bears and lions in Ukraine’. SOURCE…
RELATED VIDEO: