Ten maltreated lions that were kept in tiny enclosures with little space to move around have been rescued from a farm where they were bred to be killed by hunters.
Photos and videos taken by a German NGO called Wild@Life e.V show a pack of lions being held captive in tiny rooms and enclosures at a South African farm.
According to the rescue organization that specializes in anti-poaching and wildlife rescue, they have worked tirelessly for months to secure the necessary documentation and prepare for the rescue mission that saw ten lions freed from horrible conditions.
As Wild@Life e.V explained, their team traveled over 3,000 miles to rescue the lions that were bred to be shot by hunters for sport after starting their mission back in 2019.
“In November 2019, our team reached South Africa to rescue lions from one of these farms. The team was overwhelmed seeing 10 lions kept in a totally secluded and closed shed with no light or grass,” they explained.
“We had to fight hard for the lives of these lions. But dedication and passion made this work successful.”
After arriving at the farm, the team tranquilized the animals, which reportedly appeared stressed due to lack of free movement and sunlight, before transporting them to a sanctuary where “they will learn to be lions again.”
“We worked non-stop to move the lions to the transport trailer, which we drove back to the sanctuary,” the rescuers said as they confirmed the lions will now live out the rest of their lives surrounded by nature.
Speaking of the growing business involving the breeding of lions with the purpose of letting them get shot by hunters, the NGO said:
“A canned hunt is a trophy hunt which is not ‘fair chase’; it has been made too easy for the hunter. Some examples of this include animals who have been kept in a confined area, such as in a fenced-in area, increasing the likelihood of the hunter obtaining a kill.
“In most cases, the lions are kept in tiny enclosures, are confined to horrible places, with limited or no food and extreme stress and with no hygienic and veterinary care.
“A ‘hunter’ can then choose the lions he wants to kill and conduct the killings in the easiest of ways, even just by sitting in their vehicle. Animals do not stand any chance. Such facilities even put male lions in small enclosures for them to fight each other, so the lions end up with scars on their faces.”
Replaced!