Pairi Daiza welcomes two young lionesses from the war in Ukraine.
Pairi Daiza and its Foundation have been caring for animals in need for thirty years.
On Friday, September 20, 2024, Lira and Amani, two young lionesses born in Ukraine in 2023, found temporary refuge at Pairi Daiza. Their arrival marks the end of a difficult and emotional journey that began at the Wild Animal Rescue Center in Kyiv, Ukraine. The sisters, whose past remains shrouded in mystery, were likely born under illegal circumstances for commercial exploitation in tourist photography.
Their journey to safety began on September 18, coordinated by The Big Cat Sanctuary (UK), a charity founded in 2000 to protect wild cats globally. This rescue was conducted in collaboration with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Cross-Border Animal Services (CBAS). The journey of more than 1,300 kilometers brought them through Poland and Germany to Belgium, with a stop at Planckendael Zoo where another lioness, Vanda, will also be temporarily housed.
In the early afternoon, the two lionesses were warmly welcomed by the Pairi Daiza team. Rescued from the horrors of war, Lira and Amani arrived in good health.
Puria Mahlouji, member of the Zoological Management and responsible for the well-being of the carnivores: "Together with the caretakers and veterinarians, we are closely monitoring the behavior and health of these young lionesses, with the goal of giving them the best care and love they deserve."
For now, Lira and Amani are not visible to visitors at Pairi Daiza. They are in quarantine, away from the public eye, recovering from their long journey. Soon, they will explore their new environment in the Kingdom of Ganesha, a temporary residence before they are permanently transferred to Kent, UK, where they will spend the rest of their lives under the protection of The Big Cat Sanctuary.
Cam Whitnall, project leader of The Big Cat Sanctuary: "We are proud to collaborate with two excellent centers in Belgium, Pairi Daiza and Planckendael, where Vanda, Amani, and Lira will stay temporarily. Now that they are safe, our goal is to bring them to their permanent home as soon as possible. Our new lion rescue center is expected to be completed by November 2024."
So far, IFAW has supported the rescue, care, and evacuation of 21 big cats and two wolves from Wild Animal Rescue to safe new homes in Europe and beyond.
30 Years of Commitment to Biodiversity
Pairi Daiza is proud to be part of this operation, giving these two felines the chance to live in peace. This commitment fits perfectly with the mission the Park and the Pairi Daiza Foundation have pursued since their creation.
Some other examples:
- In 1994, Pairi Daiza welcomed 10 Cape penguins and 4 paradise cranes from the World of Birds sanctuary (South Africa), as well as 80 flamingos from the Birds and Game sanctuary (Botswana) and 24 brown pelicans from the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary (USA).
- Since 2003, the Pairi Daiza Foundation's shelter has taken in hundreds of reptiles and amphibians each year, abandoned by their owners or seized by authorities.
- On May 15, 2019, the moose Czejs was born in the wild in Poland. When he was just two weeks old, his mother was hit by a car and did not survive the accident. The two-week-old Czejs was too young to survive without his mother and would have perished in the wild if not rescued by humans. Reintroduction to the wild was considered but deemed unfeasible, as Czejs had become too attached to humans and would be at risk again. Since the summer of 2020, he has found a new home at Pairi Daiza and even became a father to Sigi last year.
- More recently, in March last year, dozens of chickens were rescued from the slaughterhouse and now live in the recently renovated Abbey Farmhouse of the Park.
Johan Vreys