Ukrainian lions to start journey to UK sanctuary

The Big Cat Sanctuary said Rori had trauma from the war

After almost 10 months, four lions rescued from Ukraine are set to begin the journey to their new home in the UK.

On Thursday, Rori, Amani, Lira and Vanda will set off from their temporary homes in Belgium to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent.

They will be reunited with Yuna, who was also rescued and arrived at the site in August.

Cam Whitnall, managing director of the sanctuary, said: "It has been an incredibly challenging journey, but we never lost sight of our mission; to give these magnificent lions the safe and secure future they deserve."

Amani and Lira are two of the lions that are moving to the new centre

The lions will be collected by a team from the sanctuary before heading back through France and then to the UK by ferry with the Crossborder Animal Services.

The journey is expected to take about 12 hours with the lions due to arrive on Friday.

Mr Whitnall said: "Seeing Yuna reunited with Rori, Amani, Lira and Vanda will be an emotional and rewarding milestone for the team and our supporters."

When Yuna arrived in Kent in 2024, she was suffering from shell shock after debris from a missile attack landed 300m (984ft) from her small enclosure in Kyiv.

Vanda is also thought to have been kept in an apartment for five or six months without any outdoor access or sunlight, while Rori was confined to a private menagerie and also had trauma from the war.

The sanctuary had raised more than £500,000 to cover transport, veterinary treatments and the construction of the lion rescue centre.