Peace at last for the lions who only know war: British conservationists battle to save shell-shocked lion and lionesses raised and held in war-torn Ukraine

British conservationists have launched an urgent appeal to save five shell-shocked lions from Ukraine.

The Big Cat Sanctuary, based in Kent, hopes to evacuate a group of African lions currently living in critical conditions in war-torn Kiev.

Among them are Rori, a male lion, and four lionesses: Vanda, Yuna and sisters Amani and Lira.

The lions, who are temporarily staying in a shelter, have already had a traumatic life; some have been rescued from private homes where they were held in appalling conditions.

The charity is working with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to relocate them and build a new sanctuary at the sanctuary.

“When we heard about the heartbreaking plight of these lions, we knew we had to do something, even though we don’t currently have the space at the sanctuary,” said Cam Whitnall of The Big Cat Sanctuary.

“We immediately got to work trying to figure out how we could make this idea a reality together with IFAW. It’s a race against time, but we are determined to give them the best possible forever home they can have. That’s our mission, because they deserve it after everything they’ve been through.”

Natalia Popova is rescuing and rehoming hundreds of wild animals and pets devastated by the war in Ukraine, including bears, leopards, tigers, monkeys, camels, hyenas and peacocks.

She coordinates the lions’ current sanctuary at Wild Animal Rescue and said the big cats have been left “scared and confused.”

“Some were born during the conflict and know no other life than the constant chaos of war,” she said.

‘Some were directly hit by shelling. I am relieved that these lions now have a better life ahead of them.”

The ongoing war has caused significant problems for the big cats.

Yuna, a three-year-old female, was found by military volunteers in February 2023, where she was kept in poor conditions in a house with a male lion.

It is thought there were plans to use them for illegal breeding, and both lived in a small enclosure with a bare, concrete floor.

Yuna could barely stand when she was taken to her current shelter at Wild Animal Rescue.

In January 2024, during a large-scale Russian missile attack, debris fell about 300 meters from Yuna’s fence.

The blast was so violent that it caused severe concussion, leading to a complete loss of coordination. For a long time, Yuna remained huddled in a corner of her enclosure, growling and showing signs of stress.

Vanda, meanwhile, is only one year old and was rescued from an apartment in southeastern Ukraine. She was kept as a pet, but had no access to the sun or a suitable habitat and was severely malnourished.

Sisters Amani and Lira were rescued from a breeding farm in Ukraine, where they were found in a locked room with their mother and father.

It is thought that three-year-old male lion Rori was also used for illegal breeding. When he was rescued in January 2023, he was unable to stand and suffered from severe coordination problems, probably caused by shell shock.

Natalia Gozak, Wildlife Rescue Field Officer at IFAW said: “Ukraine is now no stranger to tragedy, and the stories of these big cats are no different.

“I’m glad that, at least for them, they’re going to a safer place. The Big Cat Sanctuary has offered permanent homes to the remaining lions IFAW supports, including Yuna, who we feared might not be housed due to her mental health issues.”

Because the costs of building the new rescue facility, transporting the lions and providing veterinary care are significant, the Big Cat Sanctuary is appealing to the public for donations.

• To donate: https://thebigcatsanctuary.digitickets.co.uk/category/55960