When lion cubs Zorya and Mira dragged their tiny, broken bodies through the wreckage of war on the Ukraine frontline, it seemed almost impossible that these terrified, severely injured infants would ever find safety.
We helped care for them for over a year in a temporary Ukrainian shelter – and recently, our supporters helped us get them to safety
in South Africa.
Now they need your help to not just survive, but to thrive.
Credit: WARC
No-one knows how the infant cubs, both with their back legs broken, ended up frightened and alone on the frontlines of the Ukraine war. We do know they were just two of many victims of animal abandonment.
Thanks to the generosity of animal-lovers like you and the help of our partners, Wild Animal Rescue Center (WARC) in Ukraine and the LionWatch Project in South Africa, we achieved something truly extraordinary for the lions: financing medical care to heal their wounds and, recently, evacuating them from the war zone.
From a Ukrainian zoo to the turmoil of war, Cleopatra, Mira and Zorya are now adjusting to their new lives on African soil. Credit: WARC (Left) and ASI/Luke Kruyt (Right)
Safety is the bare minimum. It doesn’t mean their needs are over. Far from it.
The lions are safe now, but Zorya and Mira have one vital need and are counting on your support: they need water, as their new home is in an area where temperatures reach around 104°F (40°C), and the rainy season has passed.
With your help, we will install an energy-efficient, self-sustaining water system in their sanctuary area – particularly necessary as South Africa enters its sweltering summer season.
This system will automatically refill the waterhole whenever necessary. It will be a huge benefit for Zorya and Mira.
Credit: WARC (Left) and ASI/Luke Kruyt (Right)
Together, we can create the oasis they deserve in Africa.
Today, Zorya and Mira no longer hear bombs falling. They feel the sun on their backs, the earth beneath their paws, and the safety of a home they can finally call their own, but they do need a reliable source of water.
If we can raise $8,000 (£6,100), we can keep the lions hydrated and healthy through the harsh summer, and beyond.
It will ensure the lions always have access to clean, fresh water as summer temperatures soar to 104°F (40°C).
Every contribution, large or small, will make a tangible difference to their lives.
