How Three Lions Rescued From War in Ukraine Found a New Home at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Imagine travelling for three whole days, across countries, just to find somewhere safe to call home. That's exactly what happened for three young lions who have just made it to Yorkshire. After a really tough start in life, caught up in the war in Ukraine, one-year-olds Oleg, Rafael and Shanti have finally arrived at the award-winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

Their 1,700-mile journey from Kyiv ended on Saturday morning, and it's fair to say there were a few happy tears from the park's rangers as they watched these brave animals take their first steps into their new sanctuary.

A long journey to safety

Getting these three young lions to safety was a massive team effort. The journey itself was anything but straightforward. The special transport had to travel all the way from Ukraine, a trip that was made even longer by a 15-hour wait at the Polish border. You can just imagine the relief when the ferry finally crossed the channel into the UK. The whole operation was made possible thanks to a lot of generous donations from the public. The Wildlife Foundation, a charity based at the park, managed to raise all the money needed to cover the specialist transport and vet costs, showing just how much people care about animal welfare.

The team from Cross Border Animal Services, who drove the lions, were just relieved to get them to their destination. Geert Wijnands, the owner, explained the situation perfectly: "They are tired because it's been a long trip. We were held up for 15 hours at the Polish border. But they are fine now. They have a big space so they will be happy here. Animal welfare is our first priority and to see them doing fine is so important."

Heartbreaking backstories

Each of these young lions has a story that's pretty tough to hear. They've been through a lot more in their first year of life than any animal ever should. Oleg was rescued as a tiny cub from private owners who had to flee their home during the war. He was raised by people, so while he's used to humans, he's been missing the company of other lions. It's a bit like being the new kid at school and not knowing anyone.

The story for siblings Rafael and Shanti is just as sad. They were discovered in the Kharkiv region right next to their mother, a lioness who had been left behind in a private collection and had starved. They spent months at a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Kyiv, terrified by the constant sounds of bombing. It's hard to imagine what that must have been like. These new arrivals really needed a safe and peaceful place to begin their rehabilitation and recover from their trauma.

Settling into Lion Country

The moment the new arrivals were released from their transport crates was incredible. WildLife Foundation Trustee Cheryl Williams was there to see it. "Their arrival has been incredible, absolutely amazing," she said. "This is the third rescue I've been involved in and to see them come out so quickly, to see Rafael and Shanti back together again. Obviously, they've never been separated before. That was just beautiful. I am just so happy and relieved and at least they are away from the bombing now."

For now, the trio will stay indoors where the park's vets can check them over properly. Once they're settled and feeling a bit more confident, they'll be released into the amazing seven-acre 'Lion Country'. Bex Brown, the Head of Carnivores, was thrilled to see them arrive. "I'm ecstatic and so glad they are finally here, their forever home. I don't think we can imagine how traumatic their experiences have been. I am relieved they are settling in so well."

Meeting the neighbours

It turns out Oleg, Rafael and Shanti aren't the only lions at the park who have come from Ukraine. As they were being moved into their new house, the park's existing pride of lions, who were rescued last March, stopped their sunbathing session to come and have a good look. All seven of them, including three young cubs, came right up to the fence to see what all the fuss was about. It seems the park has some noisy new neighbours!

Cheryl Williams commented on the other lions' curiosity: "The previous lions that came out of Ukraine last March are extremely interested in the youngsters who have just arrived, they are definitely the noisy neighbours. They are really curious." She added, "The lions that came last year are one big happy family and have settled into Lion Country at the park brilliantly." The hope is that this new pride will eventually settle in just as well. There's even a chance that lonely Oleg might be able to make friends with the others, but that will be a slow and careful process.

A history of helping wildlife

This isn't the first time Yorkshire Wildlife Park has stepped in to help animals in need. This is actually the third major lion rescue the park has undertaken, bringing the total number of lions saved to 17 over the years. The first big rescue happened way back in 2010, when the park brought 13 African lions over from some truly awful conditions in Romania. That mission won international accolades and really put the park on the map for its incredible conservation work.

The success of that first rescue inspired the park to keep going. CEO John Minion said, "We are delighted to be welcoming the new lions to the park and proud to be rescuing lions for the third time. It has been incredible to receive so many donations, helping us to carry out our mission to save the three lions." It's this dedication to wildlife that makes the park so special.

More than just a park

While the lions are the stars of the show right now, the park is home to so many other amazing animals. It puts conservation at the centre of everything it does, offering visitors a chance to get up close to some of the world's rarest species. You can see majestic Amur Leopards and Tigers, towering Giraffes, and powerful Black Rhinos.

And it's not just about the animals. The wider Yorkshire Wildlife Resort includes The Hex Wildlife Hotel, where you can stay overnight, and The Yorkshire Hive, which is a brilliant shopping and dining entertainment village. Every visit helps to support the park's amazing work, from rescuing lions caught in a war to protecting endangered species around the globe. It's a fantastic day out that actually makes a real difference.