by
Jan Creamer, ADI
| We did it! This morning our 33 lions roared in their first sunrise after spending the night under the stars in their native homeland.
I can’t express how overwhelming it was to see the lions step out from their travel crates and into their new home. One by one they took their first steps into freedom, sniffing the air and the red African soil, before exploring their very own piece of the African bush. An absolute joy to watch!
Tim Phillips, veterinarian Eva, and I monitored the lions throughout, providing them with water regularly. A long delay in Brazil due to a computer problem could not dampen our spirits as we made our way to Africa, touching down on Saturday evening – and marked by a huge roar from the lions that echoed throughout the aircraft! We then drove through the night, arriving at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary yesterday morning and overloading the lions, one at a time, late into the day. Getting the lions home has been exhausting, exhilarating and concludes our Operation Spirit of Freedom mission to eliminate circus suffering in Peru, saving over 100 animals and ensuring future generations will not suffer in circuses again.
To familiarize them with their new home the lions will initially live in bonding camps where families will also be reintroduced. Then, over the coming months, they will be released into huge areas with platforms and watering holes. Please donate today so that we can start work immediately on the next phase of the 33 lions’ wonderful habitats. Thank you. Yours for the animals, The world has been watching the lions’ journey to freedom with great interest, with coverage of the Spirit of Freedom Flight featured in the media from South America to Australia and everywhere in between! Millions of people around the world have now seen the difference we can make to these animals’ lives and will, we hope, lead to positive action in the UK / US and other countries that continue to allow the use of wild animals in circuses. |
Their journey home was certainly epic! Beginning on Thursday morning, the first nine lions were loaded into their travel crates in Bucaramanga, Colombia, before travelling to Bogota by truck. The same night our 24 rescued lions in Peru were loaded and taken to Lima airport, where in the early hours, they joined the nine lions on the huge MD11 aircraft for their trans-Atlantic flight.
With all of the animals relocated to their forever homes, we are now gearing up for Phase 2 of the lions’ habitats. As covered by CBS:
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Circus lions airlifted
A group of rescued circus lions is adjusting to new-found freedom after the largest ever airlift of lions, from Peru and Colombia to their new home in a South African wildlife sanctuary.
A total of 33 former circus lions born in captivity, 22 males and 11 females from Peru and Colombia, were brought to South Africa to live out their lives on a private reserve in the Limpopo Province. The trip was organized by the animal rights group Animal Defenders International.
Here, a crate carrying one of the lions rescued is lifted onto the back of a lorry before being transported to a private reserve on April 30, 2016 in Johannesburg. CREDIT: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Tasting freedom in his new African home—hopefully a forever home.
African lions born in captivity in Peru rest in cages in a containment area in Puente Piedra, outside of Lima, prior to being airlifted to Johannesburg by Animal Defenders International. Their destination is the natural African bush at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. CREDIT: Cris Bouroncle/AFP/Getty Images
A newly arrived African lion walks along the fence of an enclosure as lions, that were bred in captivity and held in circuses in South America, are prepared to be released at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary on May 1, 2016 in Vaalwater, South Africa.
Being prepared for transport.
Twenty four of the animals were rescued in raids on circuses operating in Peru, with the rest voluntarily surrendered by a circus in Colombia after the country’s congress passed a bill prohibiting circuses from using wild animals.
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Touches the heart and uplifts the spirit! King of the Beasts returning home …
A deep and sincere thank you to everyone involved in making this possible … God bless you all!