Pairi Daiza welcomes two lionesses from Ukraine

Two young lionesses born in Ukraine in 2023 have found temporary refuge at the Pairi Daiza zoo in Brugelette in Hainaut province. The sisters are now recovering in quarantine from their long journey, more than 1,300km across Poland and Germany.

The lionesses, named Lira and Amani, came from the Wild Animal Rescue Centre in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

It is possible that they were exploited for commercial purposes and born in illegal conditions. They were in good health when they arrived at Pairi Daiza on 20 September.

The animals will soon be given a home in the Kingdom of Ganesha section of the Pairi Daiza sanctuary, where visitors will be able to see them. This is only temporary, as they will then move permanently to Kent in the UK.

The Big Cat Sanctuary, a British charity that works to protect feral cats worldwide, coordinated their journey, which began on 18 September. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and Crossborder Animal Services, a firm that organises air and road transport of live animals, were also involved in the rescue.

The sisters join two other lions from Ukraine being cared for in Belgium. Vanda, a one-year-old lioness who was kept as a pet in an apartment in Ukraine, is now at Planckendael Zoo in Mechelen.

Rori, who was destined for illegal breeding, has been temporarily housed at the Nature Support Centre in Oudsbergen, Limburg, since August and has reportedly been keeping local residents awake with his roar.

To date, IFAW has rescued 21 big cats and two wolves from the Wild Animal Rescue Centre and placed them in safer locations in Europe and elsewhere.

The purpose-built lion sanctuary in Kent is expected to be finished later this year. Rori, Lira, Amani and Vanda will be transported to the UK to join a lioness called Yuna, who has already arrived there from Ukraine. All the rescues were organised by the Big Cat Sanctuary.