Kent animal sanctuary meets £500,000 fundraising target to rescue Ukraine lions

The money will help towards transportation costs, veterinary treatment and a new habitat.

A young female lion stood on a rock in her enclosure — Lioness Yuna was rescued from Ukraine, making a journey over four days and six countries, in August and currently lives at the Lion Rescue Centre at the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent (The Big Cat Sanctuary)

A cat sanctuary rescuing lions from war-torn Ukraine has successfully met its fundraising target to help provide “forever homes” for the animals.

The Big Cat Sanctuary is a Kent-based charity behind the Big Cats in Crisis campaign, and reached its fundraising target of £500,000 to help rescue five lions, Yuna, Rori, Vanda, Amani and Lira, from Ukraine to the Lion Rescue Centre in Smarden.

The money will help towards transportation costs, veterinary treatment and a new habitat, which the sanctuary started creating in July and expects to finish in the new year.

A lion with a shaggy mane — Male lion Rori is in a temporary home in Belgium (The Big Cat Sanctuary/PA)

African lioness Yuna was taken to the Lion Rescue Centre, a journey spanning six countries and lasting more than four days, in August, after she suffered shell shock and psychological issues from heavy bombing.

She was found cramped in a concrete enclosure with an aggressive male, and the continued shelling left her unable to stand or walk, according to the Big Cat Sanctuary.

The three-year-old lioness has seen grass for the first time, after being rescued by the sanctuary.

The sanctuary thanked people for their donations.

Aerial shot of an animal rescue centre under construction — The Lion Rescue Centre at the Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent, under construction in preparation for the arrival of the lions from Ukraine (The Big Cat Sanctuary/PA)

Cam Whitnall, project lead at the Big Cat Sanctuary, said: “This achievement is truly special, and we can’t thank everyone enough.

“This journey has been extraordinary and every single donation, share and moment of belief in our mission has helped transform the lives of these lions.

“Thanks to your incredible support, Yuna, Rori, Vanda, Amani, and Lira will now have the forever home they deserve. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”

The four other lions are being kept in facilities across Belgium, including Pairi Daiza, Planckendael Zoo and Natuur Hulp Centrum, before they are reunited with Yuna at the Lion Rescue Centre in early 2025.

To find out more about the lions’ rescue, you can visit: https://thebigcatsanctuary.org/big-cats-in-crisis/