Special Projects: How you can help us save lions!

GOLIATH, SIMBA AND RINGO ARRIVE SAFELY Share

These three lions were born in a European circus. For most of their lives they would have been confined to a “beast wagon” with hardly enough room to move.
They would have undergone brutal and barbaric “training” and lived a miserable existence.

Fortunately for Goliath, Simba and Ringo, intervention saw them being confiscated from the circus and temporarily placed in a wildlife refuge, the Natuurhulpcentrum in Belgium.

Months of logistical planning took place before these three cubs could be successfully relocated to us.

On 13th February 2008, after a journey of almost 10 000 kilometers, the three lions safely arrived at the Park and for the first time they had freedom to roam outdoors.

Goliath and Simba were born in May 2007 and Ringo in August 2007.

This rescue was made possible because of the generosity of the following sponsors:

British Airways, The Animal Reception Centre (London), James Cargo Services, Animal Travel Services (Cape Town), Beauty Without Cruelty and Jeanne and Ian Bathgate.

Their first day: All three boys were a bit overwhelmed by it all, not only did they have a huge new space to contend with, but they had to deal with a temparature of 38 degrees as well! Ringo proved the most cooperative and was soon showing his older companions where to find water. All three ate very well about one hour after arrival and soon settled down in the shade. We have been baby sitting them for their first day so that they have time to adapt and will continue to do so for as long as neccessary. Simba in particular is most impressed with the big male lions that are his neighbours and spends a lot of his time "talking" to Shumba through the fence.