Rescued Circus Lions Will Soon Head Home to Native Africa In Biggest Airlift Of Its Kind
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What a great day for wildlife rescuers and those rescued as 33 former circus lions prepare to head home and a life of comparative luxury after their awful “careers” as performing captives.
From True Activist:
by Amanda Froelich
After years of living in tiny, cramped cages and forced to perform in South American circuses, thirty-three lions have finally been rescued by the Animal Defenders International (ADI) and will soon venture back to their African homeland.
While in captivity, the beautiful lion suffered many forms of mistreatment and abuse. One has lost an eye, another is nearly blind, and many have smashed and broken teeth due to circus life. Thankfully their happy ending is very near.
The thirty-three lions were rescued from ten different circuses in both Peru and Colombia. They will soon travel to their native Africa in the biggest ever airlift of its kind. There, they will experience freedom at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. They are intended to be transported to the reserve in October.
The positive news is a result of ADI’s passionate work with the Governments of Peru and Colombia to eliminate the use of wild animals in circuses. As Ecorazzi reports, ADI’s work has been instrumental in the legislation banning animal acts there.
Commented Jan Creamer, ADI’s President who is also leading the rescue mission in Peru:
“We are delighted that these lions who have suffered so much will be going home to Africa where they belong. The climate and environment are perfect for them. When we visited Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary we knew this is a dream come true for ADI and, more importantly, the lions.”
ADI spent one year working with the Peru Government SERFOR and ATFFS wildlife departments, as well as the country’s police, to legally raid circuses all over the country. Not only did workers of the organization face violent confrontations in their successful quest to rescue over 90 animals, they traveled thousands of miles, traversing the Andes with the lions.
The ex-circus lions, 9 from Colombia and 24 from Peru, will soon have their dream ending when they are airlifted back to Africa and allowed to explore what it means to truly be free.
Savannah Heuser, founder of Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary says:
“Mahatma Gandhi once said; ‘Be the change that you wish to see in the world.’ The change that is being offered to these 33 lions will change their entire world.
Their lives were forcibly wasted away in horrific tiny cages, the doing of mindless circus acts, I cannot start to comprehend the endless days suffering that these animals had to endure. They have a lot of lost time to make up for. They will live out the rest of their lives in a natural habitat, the closest they can ever come to freedom.”
If you’d like to help ADI in all its efforts, you can make a donation in the U.K. and/or in the U.S. You can either sponsor cages, travel crates or just make a simple donation.
What are your thoughts on this positive news? Please share this article and comment your thoughts below.
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It is a good thing any time we can get animals back to a natural habitat. the hope is that they will be properly maintained and out of the reach of the damn poachers and trophy hunters. They are suppose to be roaming free not locked up in cages.
Hear hear!
It is a good thing any time we can get animals back to a natural habitat. the hope is that they will be properly maintained and out of the reach of the damn poachers and trophy hunters.
It’s hard to tell a lion whee he can go or not go. Really, they’re not good listeners, but even a huge preserve can only accept a certain number of predators without having to feed them and that’s not practical. Nature does abhor an imbalance. Sadly and even in zoos, it’s necessary to thin out the numbers. Many parks rely on the sale of hunting permits to pay game wardens to keep out poachers. In the case of rhinos and elephants it isn’t working. I don’t expect my great grandchildren will be able to see either one in the wild.
But even lions behind fences and fed can be a tourist attraction for those without money or time to go on safaris. I think it’s still a good idea.
It is great news but if they are merely released without any programme of care they are as good as dead.
Why does humanity do this to our fellow creatures?????????
No. They are not going to be released into the wild. They are going to be released to a Big Cat sanctuary in Africa.
excellent!!!
Woohoo, one of the animal groups I do give money to, making it a very good cause. This is one of the groups that will benefit when I die childless and alone, surrounded by my dogs and cats partially eaten. Cats wondering why I haven’t filled their food bowls, since they cannot be filled me just laying there and dogs wondering why the ball isn’t being thrown to them 🙂
Partially eaten? They on a diet then? 😉
I’m way too skinny for these little fur wearing bastards. They like some fat on their meat Norm 😉
It’s potentially a true windfall for the animals, but people are taking on a huge undertaking! The Lions don’t know how to hunt – they’ve been living in circuses, after all! There rescuers to be ready to feed 30 carnivores – no minimal task! Not to mention EXPENSIVE! And how much space will be allocated to the 30 lions? I just have a lot of pessimism and pessimistic thoughts!
Rescuing 30 lions from Circus Circus is noble, at least! But it is a long-term commitment – I hope that people are ready to give to that commitment for a long time!
Yay lions! Great future possibilities, and this is only the start!