South Africa: Rescued lions explore new home in sanctuary
Source: Associated Press
South Africa: Rescued lions explore new home in sanctuary
Stuart Graham, Associated Press
Updated 2:30 pm, Sunday, May 1, 2016
[font size=1]
Photo: Themba Hadebe, AP
Image 1 of 11
A former circus lion bites a tree branch inside an enclosure at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in Vaalwater, northern, South Africa, Sunday, May 1, 2016. Thirty-three lions rescued from circuses in Peru and Colombia ... more
[/font]
Vaalwater, South Africa (AP) — Lions rescued from circuses in Colombia and Peru and airlifted to South Africa scratched their manes on trees and explored their new territory in the African bush after being released into a sanctuary north of Johannesburg Sunday.
One of the 33 lions, a male known as Zeus, let out a mighty roar before stepping out of his cage into an enclosure where he will spend the coming months being monitored by a vet.
The lions arrived at the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary shortly after dawn on Sunday to end a two-day journey from South America. The lions were freed after the use of wild animals in circuses was outlawed in Peru and Colombia.
It will be impossible for the lions to survive in the wild as they were bred in captivity and their circus owners mutilated many by breaking their teeth and removing their claws. Because they cannot hunt they will be fed game meat and will have water in their enclosures.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/South-Africa-Rescued-lions-explore-new-home-in-7386347.php
= new reply since forum marked as read
Those devils who hurt them... 
Rescued circus lions flown to South Africa
By Allen Cone | May 1, 2016 at 2:40 PM
[font size=1]
Half-bind Joseph sleeps during its trip to South Africa -- one of 33 animals transported. Photo courtesy of Animal Defenders International.
[/font]
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 1 (UPI) -- Thirty-three lions rescued from circuses in South America have been airlifted to a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa.
The U.S.-based group Animal Defenders International rescued the animals. They were transferred by land to the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary, a 12,355-acre reserve in northern Southern Africa, after being flown to Johannesburg.
It was the largest airlift of lions in history, said Jan Creamer, president of Animal Defenders International, which carried out the operation.
. . .
An MD11F cargo aircraft chartered with Priority Worldwide Services retrieved nine lions from Bogota airport, then flew to Lima to collect 24 more lions, before flying to Johannesburg. The sanctuary in Vaalwater is about 150 miles north of Johannesburg.
. . .
"Their forever homes will have acres of natural bush with watering holes, platforms, trees, vegetation all safely secure behind double electric fencing," according to ADI.
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2016/05/01/Rescued-circus-lions-flown-to-South-Africa/2311462125163/?spt=sec&or=tn
[center]~ ~ ~[/center]
Short video at this link:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/dozens-lions-freed-south-american-circuses-find-new-home-in-african-bush
JOHANNESBURG, May 1, 2016
Updated: May 1, 2016 23:48 IST
Rescued circus lions airlifted to South Africa
[font size=1]
Two of the rescued lions squabble through the fence of their new enclosure at the Emoya sanctuary in South Africa on
Sunday. — Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
[/font]
. . .
Close monitoring
The 33 lions will be monitored by a vet for their first weeks in Africa.
They will then be introduced to each other in a one hectare bonding enclosure.
Many of the lions were never allowed to have direct physical contact with other lions and have never been together without a fence or a cage separating them. Due to their poor physical state, the lions will never be able to hunt again and will have to be cared for with food and water for the rest of their lives.
Emoya will feed the cats with game meat, which it buys in bulk. The enclosures will be fitted with drinking pools, platforms and toys to ensure the lions don’t become bored and will be steadily expanded as they become familiar with their new life, said Savannah Heuser, who started Emoya with her mother. Emoya, in an area with a mix of habitats, including mountainous regions, rolling grasslands, forests, cliff caves and river gorges, has a strict non-breeding policy, Heuser said.
Female lions may receive contraceptive medications so they can remain with their mates, while males may undergo vasectomies to make sure than no lions are bred in captivity.
“The animals have no conservation value whatsoever. Many of them have been inbred,” she said.
“When we are sure that no breeding will take place, we allow males to interact with females. By then a pattern will have emerged ... and we will know which lions can be placed together.”
The sanctuary is currently home to eight big cats, including two Siberian tigers. — AP
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/rescued-circus-lions-airlifted-to-south-africa/article8544390.ece
To see them bask in the sunshine and feel the wind, and walk on the earth and rub against trees all for the first time?!?!?
This is like much needed food for my soul.....
I just can't get enough!!
I gave a few $ towards this effort and it just fills my heart to see those happy faces.
I donated and kept waking up in the middle of the night a couple days ago to check to see if they'd made it to the sanctuary.
So glad they get to feel the sun and soil now, finally. 
