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The award-winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Wildlife Foundation have won the race against time to save four war-traumatised Ukrainian lions.
The park new home to mum Aysa and her three 15 month-old cubs, Emi, Santa, and Teddi, at its Lion Country.
The rescued lions spent nine months in a holding facility in Poland having escaped Russian bombs. The only space available was indoors and the youngsters grew up without seeing the sky or having the stimulation of the outside world.
Having crossed six countries and travelled 2,000 miles they finally arrived at their safe haven in Yorkshire on Wednesday night.
Aysa, from a private collection in the Donetsk region, was abandoned as Russian invaders occupied Ukraine, leaving her and other animals alone, malnourished and stressed by bombings. She was rescued and taken to an interim sanctuary in Kiev where she gave birth to three cubs before they were all moved to the safety of the temporary facility in Poland.
Since escaping Ukraine, Aysa has been separated from her cubs as they were held in adjacent 15 ft square concrete holding pens in Poznan Zoo in western Poland. They were finally loaded onto a lorry on Tuesday to be driven the 1,000 miles to Yorkshire and caught the ferry between Calais and Dover before arriving at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Wednesday.
The lions will spend their first few weeks being evaluated and rehabilitated by the staff at YWP, out of sight from the public until they are ready to take their first steps out into the expansive reserves of Lion Country.
The Park will post regular updates on the lions’ progress on social media as they settle into their new home before they venture out into Lion Country and visitors on site will be able to see them in their new home on a special screen outside Lion Country.
Thank you for your donations so far! Your support has helped towards the transportation of the lions. If you would like to support their ongoing rehabilitation, please donate here.
Tell your friends
Natalie
Such great work. Look forward to seeing the updates
Anonymous
Got a first look at these absolutely stunning beauty's today and they don't even look like the lions from the pictures in Poland zoo. They are thriving. Absolute job well done keep up the amazing work. Followed the story from the start to see them today no words can describe it. Thank you for saving them.
Siobhan Cooper
I enjoy visiting and appreciate the support you offer
LYON
I saw the beautiful lions on ITV news and as I adore lions I HAD t make a dontation to you. THANK YOU for rescuing these wonderful animals.
Ruby Tomlinson
❤️
Anonymous
No animal should be made to suffer the trauma they have because of human activity
Anonymous
Towards the cost of upkeep for the lions.
Peter Frederick
Incredible rescue of the Ukraine Lions
Anonymous
You do an amazing job. So proud of YWP
Anonymous
To help the rehabilitation of the lions
Monica
After reading your email that the lions have arrived safely, to help them going forward...
Anonymous
To help with the wonderful work being done with the lovely lions
Christine Elliott
How wonderful! I was born in Doncaster and it is great to hear about good things that are happening in the best place in the world
Lorraine
Thank goodness for kind people. I'm a cat lover big and little. Keep up the good work xxx
Ann Longley
This is a happy ending to these beautiful lions,,anything to do with animals to make life easier for them to live a better life.
John
Lovely rescue story for these beautiful animals. Well done YWP, I'll look forward to seeing these beauties
Anonymous
All animals are beautiful and, don’t deserve to suffer.
Tim P
Saw the story in the Press about this fantastic rescue, giving the Lions a new life
Michael Owen
What you’re doing is important and I’m glad to help with a donation.
Anonymous
To help support these beautiful lions to get a great home!
Sarah
When I read the story of these poor lions I hoped and prayed YWP would rescue them as they gave the Romanian lions such a happy life. YWP is my happy place and will be for these poor lions too, let’s get them to Yorkshire and a peaceful home
Anonymous
Because we love Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Anonymous
YWP do such great things in reactions supporting these animals. Their enclosures are the best I have seen for captive wild animals. Not as good as being in the wild but probably the next best thing.
Francesco
We hope you will find a safe home soon!
Anonymous
To give these beautiful lions a safe and secure home they deserve and none can be better than Yorkshire wildlife Park.
Anonymous
Hope everything goes well for the Lions.
Anonymous
To bring the lions to doncaster
Anonymous
Thank you for helping to give these lions a new safe home
Anonymous
I would like to see these poor lions having a wonderful life in your fantastic wildlife park
Anonymous
We would love to see the lions rescued and brought to Yorkshire wildlife park where they can live in an amazing environment.
Debbie
Yorkshire Wildlife park is my happy place & I hope the cubs & their mum can also make it their happy place
Anonymous
Please bring these magnificent beasts to safety
Rachel
Thank you to the Wildlife Foundation for stepping in to rescue these lions from such a desperate situation. Let's hope their transiton to YWP and a brighter future happens soon.
Anonymous
To help bring the family of lions from Poland to Yorkshire Wildlife Park where they will hopefully enjoy a safe and happy long future. Just like the ones that travelled from Romania13 years ago.
Lesley
I am so proud of what YWP do in both rescue and conservation. Please hurry and get these poor lions to Yorkshire where they will have the best life ever. Good luck
Anonymous
Love lions and I vizit YWP often. Would love to see them there !
Linda
Please get these lions to YWP asap, these beautiful animals must be saved, I fully and always will support YWP
Derek
To support the rescue of these Lions, and bring them to a great home at YWP
Anonymous
Hope they are in their forever home soon.
Anonymous
To support the lions rehoming
Julie
Love YWP think they do an amazing job and want to help get these beautiful lions safe in a forever home.
Anonymous
Hope you can bring the lions to YWP very quickly.
Anonymous
To help the beautiful lions
Gillian
You do such a great job with the animals at YWP,these other lions deserve another chance .
laura
To support the case and to get the lions rehomed asap
Annette
I followed the original rescue of 13 lions and visited the park many times. These lions also deserve a home where they will be cared for and given the best possible life.
Sabrina
Thank you for helping the wildlife, hope they manage to settle in their new home
Remo
You are doing a great job......I hope the lions all arrive safely and will be happy in their new home. God bless.
Anonymous
Wonderful park on our doorstep
Joanna
Yorkshire Wild Life is a fantastic place
Maria
In Hope these Lions get to YWP, then they will certainly live in paradise for the rest of their lives
LisaE
Because wildlife need as much help as possible to live better lives.
Debi
Those lions need YWP for a happy peaceful life
Mark
YWP, you are doing a great job giving the lion a new forever home, thank you
Barbara Mack
I hope you can rescue these lions and give them a better future.
Cara
I really want to see these lions in a lovely new home at YWP I think the work the team does is outstanding. And I love animals so much they should all be treated with respect.
Anonymous
I was lucky to help with the first lion rescue and see the difference that YWP made to their lives. Both mum and I want to see them on Yorkshire soil where they will be safe and cared for
Anonymous
Hope the lions come home soon.
Anonymous
God go with you!
Anne
Just need to help them
Anonymous
Because these beautiful animals need rescuing.
Stephen and Gill Charlton
YWP did such a fantastic job with Lion Rescue 1 and made their remaining years so happy These poor lions deserve the same
Anonymous
Out of compassion for these lions.
Robert
Because i care about wildlife
Anonymous
Well done for your first rescue and I wish you all the very best for this second one. I really hope I can visit to see the lions once they are safely settled in. WELL DONE!!!!!
Anonymous
Because you do such fantastic work and these beautiful creatures need your help
Anne Carr
Hope you reach your target as they look so stressed & unhappy.
RACHEL SARAH
Saw the News Article on Kay Burley Breakfast Shoe on Sky news
A
Love wildlife and believe humans need to do more to minimise their suffering.
Anonymous
Thanks for running this park I hope you continued success
Genevieve Aldrich
I saw your heartbreaking article on Sky news this morning. No animal should be the victim of this dreadful war I hope they find a safe home in your wildlife Park as soon as possible. Please keep us updated.
Anonymous
Well done guys - get them home. Poor things have had a terrible start and hopefully they can now look forward to a better future. Keep up the good work.
Jo Walker
Supporting the caring for wild animals that are abandoned and mistreated.m is close to my heart. I hope the lions are rescued quickly
Jo Walker
Supporting the caring for wild animals that are abandoned and mistreated.m is close to my heart. I hope the lions are rescued quickly
M
We know it isn't purr-fect, but these animals are beyond re-wilding - our responsibility to give them the best chance of life, increase public awareness, education and vital research in preserving all our endangered fellow creatures is our best option...and hopefully one day their ancestors will be returned to safe, wild spaces.
Simon
Strongly support animal conservation and want to help the Donetsk lions
Anonymous
Good luck with this wonderful project. Hope they are safely at the park as soon as possible
Iain
Get these lovely creatures to safety x
Joanna
Love wildlife
keith
No animal deserves to be the victim of mankind. All the best success! Keep us informed.
Jacqueline
Watched the sky news interview
Anonymous
We are animal lovers and these Lions deserve to live a good happy life. Preferably in the wild but if not in a secure wildlife park where they can live together.
Anonymous
It will be so good to see these beautiful animals having a better life with you
Anonymous
You doing amazing work. Thank you so much
Janet
The work you are doing for the mum and her cubs is amazing...
Yvonne
Bring those beautiful animals to safely and see them thrive
Stephen
To help getting the Lions to a suitable place to live.
Anita
No animal deserves to be in a war zone they never created or know how to leave
Anonymous
A difficult start in life for such beautiful animals, let's hope matters improve quickly
Anonymous
Wonderful work you’re doing. Such beautiful lions. Wishing them a safe journey.
Anonymous
I live 200m away from the park and love the sound of them, they bring happiness to the family when we see them every Sunday.
Richard & Jackie
Bring them here safely to a better life
Anonymous
This is such an important campaign - these lions must be made safe.
Anonymous
thank you for working so hard to save these lions.
Tim
Good luck ,bringing these beautiful animals back to live a beautiful in safety
Jayne
Let's rescue the lions from Ukraine as soon as we can.
Anonymous
Wildlife warriors will always do all they can to help any animal to have a better life and wont they just love YWP , to feel grass beneath their paws . Good luck and fingers crossed that all 4 make it
Nial
Well done
Anonymous
Hope you get the money you need soon.
Julie
Bless you, hope you raise enough to bring them home to Yorkshire soon.
David
Good luck in giving this family a fresh start in Yorkshire
David
Good luck in giving this family a fresh start in Yorkshire
Tony
Because I love the park. It was amazing how they rescued the Romanian lions and it would be wonderful to give the family of lions a beautiful home with fantastic veterinary care
GLENN
All animals if not in the wild, deserve to be safe and cared for. The animals are also victims of some human beings desire for conflict.
Anonymous
Fingers crossed, it all goes smoothly.
Kim
Keep helping these animals ❤️
Laura
I hope these lions will be safe very soon
Juliana Glanfield
I am passionate about animals especially those left in environments that are not safe or right for them . I recently donated to Jimmys farm and our local cat rescue that was flooded out . These lions so need your park to be happy and secure once again
Neil
Hope to see you soon.
We look forward to visiting you from Portsmouth when your settled.
Anne
These Lions will have a wonderful life ay YWP. I just wanted to help a little
Anonymous
I hope and pray these magnificent lions get there forever home at YWLP
sharon
my love for all animals in this works but all cats have a very special place in my heart thank you so so much for saving theses baby's
Anonymous
It will be lovely for them to have a new home with lots of room .I love visiting the park as they care so much for animals