Lion Country

Lion Rescue

In 2009 in Romania, three prides of African Lions were living in filthy tiny concrete pens, fed on a meagre diet of scraps and faced an uncertain future. The new director, Diaina Ghender, realised that the zoo could not care for them and contacted YWP to see if we could help to re-home the lions.

At the time, YWP was a new park and did not have the funds to rehouse and care for the Lions. However, a public campaign was launched that raised £150,000 towards helping bring the Lions to their new home in Yorkshire. A team of big cat experts from zoos around the UK travelled to Romania to help move the 13 lions. They arrived in February 2010 when Jet2.com donated the use of an aeroplane to transport the prides to Doncaster Airport.

Lion Rescue 3

Oleg was rescued as a cub from private owners who fled the Sumy region of Ukraine during the escalation of the war. Raised by humans, Oleg was frightened of people but clearly longed for connection with other Lions. At that time, he lived alone, not by choice, but due to lack of space in the rescue facility.

Siblings Rafael and Shanti were found in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine next to their dying mother, a Lioness who had been abandoned in a private menagerie and starved. The cubs survived against all odds. Raised by their mother until her final moments, they are now inseparable, gentle, and curious around people.

Following their immense three-day journey from Kyiv in Ukraine, Oleg, Rafael and Shanti finally arrived in Yorkshire. The 1,700 mile trip finally came to a close on 27th September 2025, as the three Lions entered the animal house at Yorkshire Wildlife Park's Lion Country - their new home!