African Lions
King Arthur: USDA-Enforced Zoo Closure--- King Arthur was the lone African Lion in one of 18 animals facing an uncertain future when a Nebraska zoo was shut down by the USDA due to animal abuse and safety violations. Undernourished and underweight, Arthur was doing his best to survive the cold Nebraska winters. Now living life “fit for a king” at TWAS, King Arthur enjoys being with other lions in the habitat, and gives an occasional friendly “aooowwww” to the humans on the observation deck 30 feet above him.
Kobu: G.E.P.D.A. and Mexican Government Confiscation— Kobu was discovered being kept in a concrete pit in Mexico. He was originally bought as a pet, but when he became too big and expensive to care for his owner dumped him at a monastery where he was put into the concrete cell. His new caretakers also decided he was too expensive to feed – so they began feeding him live dogs taken off the streets of Mexico City. Working with Mexican Government officials, we rescued Kobu and brought him back to TWAS. He now lives with a pride of lions that lives in one of the Sanctuary’s large acreage habitats.
Dante & Mara: Private Forfeiture—These two siblings were used in the film industry in California. Dante (the brother) even portrayed a Lioness (female Lion) in a movie when he was young (before his mane developed). However when they reached roughly the age of two the two lions chose to stop cooperating with their trainers—and so were discarded. They now enjoy their time in one of the Sanctuary’s many large acreage habitats.
Shane: CA Fish & Game Confiscation—Shane came from “Tiger Rescue” in Colton, CA, when it was shut down in 2003. More than 150 starving, dehydrated great cats had to be rescued from that facility! Shane is a young Barbary Lion, whose beautiful black mane runs all the way down his belly.
Masai: CA Fish & Game Confiscation—For every animal actor who works successfully with people, 20-30 animals are bred that don’t make it. Masai was one of those, coming from a business in California that uses animals for films until they won’t work anymore—then forgets them—as if they never existed. Masai now rules over his very own pride!
Timbalu: Sanctuary Closure— This lion came from a Texas Sanctuary that could no longer stay open. The sanctuary was unable to meet its necessary budget to care for their animals. TWAS took most of their big cats.
Elsa, Yuma & Gala: Mexican Circus Surrender - When contacted to take Lions living in desperate conditions in a circus in Mexico, The Wild Animal Sanctuary had no idea the two Lions would turn into three! Elsa and Yuma’s nearly dead cub, Gala, was found lifeless in the tiny cage in which they lived. But Gala did survive, and the intensive paperwork was begun to bring the Lions back to Colorado. Elsa and Yuma are now getting to know the other Lions and enjoying life in their own spacious habitat, and fast-growing cub Gala is being lavished with the best care that the humans and Sanctuary dogs (great Lion cub babysitters!) can give her. When she is big enough, she’ll join the pride in the Lion habitat.
Lacie, Tabitha & Sampson: Private Owner Surrender – These three African lions were rescued by the Sanctuary after the mother (Lacie) and an adult male were discovered living in a horse trailer in Ohio. The adult male lion and Lacie (an adult female) had been kept in the horse trailer for years, and their owner had not prevented them from breeding – so Lacie gave birth to 3 cubs while still living in the horse trailer. An Ohio animal welfare agency stepped in at this point to move the lions into an outside cage in order to help protect the cubs, but the adult male, and one of the cubs ended up dying anyway – so the Sanctuary came to rescue the remaining three (Lacie, Tabitha & Sampson).
