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A lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has taken her first steps outside at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. Three-year-old Yuna, who suffers from shell shock, arrived at the sanctuary in Smarden on August 17 and remained inside her enclosure for a week.
As reported by BBC, the sanctuary reported that Yuna, previously confined to a small space with a concrete floor, has "begun to reveal a playful and curious nature." She recently ventured outside her enclosure, feeling grass beneath her paws for the first time and scratching trees and logs.
Yuna was traumatized when debris from a missile attack landed just 300 meters (984 feet) from her small enclosure. She was subsequently discovered and taken to Wild Animal Rescue near Kyiv, a facility supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Yuna had been kept at a private home.
The Big Cat Sanctuary is preparing to welcome another lion, Rori, who is currently in Belgium. Rori is expected to join the sanctuary once a specially built enclosure is completed in November.
Cam Whitnall of The Big Cat Sanctuary said staff have been "chatting" with Yuna to help her adjust to her new environment. "She comes out for a few hours each day now, but we're monitoring her because she's still very wobbly," he said.
Whitnall added that Yuna has also been play fighting with plants and bark and appeared bewildered by rain, having never previously experienced an outdoor enclosure. The sanctuary aims to raise £500,000 to complete the facility, with plans to eventually bring a total of five lions from Kyiv to Kent.
[Information sourced from BBC]
