AAP offers safe space to animals rescued from Ukraine
On March 1st 2022, a few brave staff members of Wild Animal Rescue, a rescue centre for wild animals near Kyiv, decided to make an ultimate attempt at taking their most vulnerable animals out of Ukraine and bringing them to safety.
Six young lions, several tigers, two caracals and an African wild dog were loaded in a truck destined for the safety of the border. According to reports, the drivers were held at gunpoint by Russian soldiers, but refused to abandon their animals. After two days of horrors and danger, the rescuers finally managed to get the animals safely across the Polish border…
The animals were first brought to our partner Poznań Zoo. Here, they could temporarily rest and recover from the exhausting and dangerous journey.
AAP had previously agreed to take in four of the lions and the African wild dog later at our Spanish rescue center. Because of the war violence and in order to prevent the animals from being abandoned, the operation had to be completed with top priority. We are extremely grateful that the animals have been taken to safety!
Four young lions, named Gyz, Flori, Kiara and Nila, and the African wild dog Zair are now at AAP. The two other lions have been taken in by a Belgian partner of AAP. Of course, we will make sure that the other animals are also brought to a good place at one of our partners.
