Animals, like all living creatures, thrive best in their natural habitat. Whether it’s land, water, or air, they get the best food for their health and growth, and they are at the right temperature to keep them safe and healthy.
Being in familiar places also helps them understand their predators and activates their survival instincts. However, many animals around the world do not enjoy these ideal conditions.
Many animals are kept in cages and bred in captivity. You can see them in zoos, amusement parks, or aquariums. Some people even keep them as pets, even though they should be free in the wild.
When humans do this, it’s also their responsibility to return the animals to where they belong. Thankfully, this is the happy-ending story of four lions bred in captivity.
Angela, Bellone, Saïda, and Louga were born and raised in captivity. They spent their whole lives traveling around France, performing for a circus company. They were forced to do tricks in front of loud, noisy crowds, and their living conditions were far from ideal.
The lions were cramped up in cages as the circus moved from one place to another. Their diet was likely not the best either. In 2018, all four lions were rescued by the Born Free Foundation.
The foundation started raising funds to transport the lions back to South Africa. Other animal welfare groups, like Lazy Lions, provided special care for these big cats. Unfortunately, the journey wasn’t easy due to COVID-19.
The pandemic delayed their plans by a couple of years. However, this delay gave the foundation time to help the lions recover, gather more donations, and prepare for the transfer. During the pandemic, the lions stayed in a rescue center in France. But the goal was always to bring them back to their homeland.
In 2022, the lions finally made their journey to a sanctuary in South Africa. It was a long trip from France to the Shamwari Private Game Reserve. Although they are still in an enclosed area, they have more freedom to move around in a three-acre lot.
Lions bred in captivity are not fit to be released directly into the wild. But the reserve is a good transition as they slowly adjust to their new environment. According to Born Free Manager Catherine Gillson: “The sights, sounds, and scents of their fellow rescued big cats will heighten their senses immediately as they begin to acclimatize to their new lives. They are now in their forever home in Africa,” she told BBC News.
The National Park Service has a plan to potentially euthanize up to 170 feral cats under the guise of nuisance control. Demand a policy that protects these cats!
A video shows how the lions cautiously step out of their cages, taking small steps and sniffing the air before venturing out. The lions, once performers in a circus, are now free to explore and enjoy their new surroundings. Angela, Bellone, Saïda, and Louga are finally home, thanks to the wonderful people who valued their lives.