The Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary near Bethlehem in the Free State received five rescued lions from Romania on World Lion Day, August 10.
They were rescued from their unsuitable and unsafe conditions in September last year by the global animal welfare organisation, Four Paws.
The animals are all from the same litter and were kept at Four Paws’ Felida Big Cat Sanctuary in Nijberkoop, Netherlands, before they arrived at their forever home in South Africa.
Three of the lions are males, Roman, Vincent and Dolf, and the two females are Geena and Ellie.
Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary is home to over 100 big cats, most of which were rescued by Four Paws from war-ravaged zoos, circuses, private ownership, and the canned hunting industry.
The sanctuary provides a species-appropriate, lifelong home for the mistreated big cats who cannot be released back into the wild.
The five lions will grow up together in Lionsrock in a 2.5-hectare enclosure.
