An animal rescue charity has successfully evacuated two lionesses from a war-affected part of Ukraine, and one has just been filmed taking her first steps into a new, calmer world.
Yuna the lioness had never even felt grass beneath her paws—having been raised in captivity in a small concrete enclosure. She had been traumatized long before the arrival of Russian bombs.
In concert with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, England, organized the retrieval and air transport of Yuna out of Ukraine in an operation that took 30 hours.
But it was a big success, with Yuna safely arriving at their 32-acre facility in Kent, and another lioness being dropped off at a similar sanctuary in Belgium.
At first, Yuna chose to remain in her artificial den sleeping on straw. For days she stayed there, traumatized by the sound of explosions and unwilling to venture out into the glowing light at the entrance of her new home.
“Yuna’s confidence growing day by day, and it’s truly moving to see. After more than two and a half years since the war, Yuna had her first opportunity to step outside,” states Cam Whitnall, Project Lead at Big Cat Sanctuary.
“Although she didn’t quite venture out, watching her tentatively peek at her outdoor space was such a heartwarming sight. It felt like a small but significant step forward in her journey of recovery. Each day here at the sanctuary, she’s becoming a little braver and more assured.”
But all that was to change recently when Big Cat Sanctuary recently released the footage of brave Yuna taking her first steps out onto the grassy slopes of her large, natural enclosure.
Preparations and fundraising are ongoing to rescue another three lionesses from Kyiv, all of which are kept in awful conditions for this beast of the savannah.
Amani and Lira are sisters and are assumed to have been illegally bred for photo exploitation purposes. Both lionesses appear fit and healthy and have not required any veterinary treatment thus far.
Vanda is thought to have been kept in an apartment for 5-6 months without any outdoor access or sunlight, and raised on an inappropriate diet. She was infested with parasites and displayed signs of rickets. She’s under the care of the veterinary team and showing signs of improvement.