Rescued Lions Settle in to their New Home in South Africa

The six rescued lions who arrived “home” in South Africa last week, after being maltreated by their previous owners in Romania and the Netherlands, are settling in well according to their new custodians.

The animals landed in South Africa on Friday, after being flown over by the rescue organisation Four Paws. They are now enjoying grass and a sense of freedom for the first time in their lives…at their new home – the Big Cat Sanctuary, at Lionsrock in the Free State.

Today Four Paws uploaded a video chronicling the journey of the lions and their arrival in their new home as they took their first few steps to freedom.

“Watch from start to finish as FOUR PAWS transfers a group of rescued lions from a shut-down zoo in Romania to a new life in Africa, the home of their ancestors!” says Four Paws UK.

For those who are concerned that the lions have not been released into the wild, Four Paws explains: “Wild lions that have spent their whole lives in tiny cages in captivity, in close proximity to humans, unfortunately can’t be released into the wild. In the wild, for example, they would need to rely on hunting for food, which is a skill they won’t have developed in captivity.

“However, in our sanctuaries they will have space to roam and we have the expertise to provide them with a life as close to what they would have in the wild as possible. Once they have adapted to their smaller adaption enclosures they can be released into a larger space.”

Watch Video: Mistreated lions rescued for a better future in South Africa

MORE INFO

Read about the lions rescued from a cruel life in Romania.