Five Sisters Zoo to welcome two lionesses rescued from war in Ukraine

Two lionesses are set to make Scotland their new home after being rescued from the conflict in Ukraine.

The four-year-old big cats, Luna and Plusza, will be given sanctuary at the Five Sisters Zoo after having to endure years of distress and displacement due to the war in Ukraine. 

Luna and Plusza were initially evacuated from an area affected by heavy shelling in Eastern Ukraine in 2022 and were first sheltered in Kyiv before moving to Poland.

They were later moved to Natuurhulpcentrum in Belgium, where Five Sisters Zoo stepped in to offer the lionesses a new home in West Lothian. 

‘The arrival of Luna and Plusza is a continuation of our long-standing commitment to giving lions a second chance at life,’ said Gary Curran, Head of Carnivores at Five Sisters Zoo.

‘Our team is prepared to provide these lionesses with the best care possible, ensuring that they are able to live out their lives in peace, just as we did for Boss, Skinny, and the others.’

The lionesses’ new home will feature a specially designed habitat, providing ample space and comfort after their challenging journey across multiple countries.

For nearly a decade, the zoo has been at the forefront of lion rescue in Scotland, providing sanctuary and care for lions who have faced immense hardship.

This journey began in October 2015, when Five Sisters Zoo welcomed four lions—Boss, Skinny, Twin 1, and Twin 2—from Belgium, where they had been rescued from a life of suffering in a traveling circus. 

The zoo previously rescued a 12-year-old Asiatic Black Bear, named Yampil, from Ukraine.

Ukrainian soldiers had discovered an abandoned zoo in the village when they arrived there in July 2022, five months after the Russian invasion.

Out of nearly 200 animals at the zoo, Yampil was one of only a few that had survived and was taken to recover at a rescue centre in Belgium before eventually being rehomed in Scotland.

Yampil died earlier this year following an anaesthetic procedure.

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