Yorkshire Wildlife Park rescues three lions from war-torn Ukraine

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Three young lions at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, from a previous Ukrainian rescue mission

A wildlife charity has said it is "delighted" to be able to bring three lions stranded in war-torn Ukraine to safety in Yorkshire following a fundraiser.

Two of the one-year-old lions, called Rafael and Shanti, had "survived against all odds" after being found next to their dying mother, who had been abandoned in a private menagerie and starved.

The WildLife Foundation, which is based at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, launched an appeal in June to facilitate the 2,000-mile (3,200km) journey.

The charity has yet to confirm the total raised, but trustee Cheryl Williams said it was happy to "save these beautiful lions who have not had the best start in life".

Yorkshire Wildlife Park said Russia's invasion of Ukraine meant many animals had been left alone with no food, water or shelter.

Siblings Rafael and Shanti and a third lion called Oleg, which was raised by humans before the owners fled the Sumy region, will arrive at the park this autumn.

They are currently at a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Kyiv and will be brought together for the first time to live in a pride.

Lioness Aysa (left) and her cubs Teddy, Santa and Emi venture outside together for the first time at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster in May 2024

Charlotte MacDonald, director of animals at the park, said: "Oleg currently lives alone and so we are looking forward to introducing him to the others.

"Rafael and Shanti survived against all odds and are now inseparable, gentle and curious around people.

"They will live safely together in their new home in Yorkshire."

It is the third rescue undertaken by Yorkshire Wildlife Park which has brought 17 animals to its lion habitat over the years.

'Proud to be rescuing lions'

The first lion rescue, which took place in 2010, brought 13 African lions to the park.

Its success encouraged the park to take on a second mission in 2024.

Aysa and her cubs, Emi, Santa and Teddi, now nearly three years old, travelled more than 2,000 miles across six countries from Poland after being abandoned in the Donetsk region of Ukraine.

Ms Williams said: "We are extremely proud of our previous rescues, and it is rewarding to see all of the lions settle into their home in Yorkshire."

Park CEO John Minion said the support from donations had been "incredible".

He added: "We are looking forward to welcoming the new lions to the park and proud to be rescuing lions for the third time."

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