Thirty-three lions rescued from circuses in South America have been airlifted to a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa.
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Some of them had their teeth bashed in with steel pipes in circuses in Colombia and Peru.
Animal Defenders International is working to fly the lions back and help with the rescue of almost 70 other animals as well.
The lions would not survive in the African wild as many have been declawed or have had teeth smashed or removed, one is nearly blind and another is missing an eye.
Creamer said “These lions have endured hell on earth and now they are heading home to paradise”.
The ADI, which was behind the biggest of its kind operation, says nearly all the lions have had teeth or claws removed at the circuses.
“It’s the biggest transfer of animals in captivity ever in the world”, Creamer said before boarding the plane to accompany the lions.
The lions will be housed at Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in Limpopo.
The lions will be placed in quarantine in enclosures at the 5,000 hectare Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary in Vaalwater in northern South Africa, started three years ago by a single mother and her teenage daughter.
A worker straps down cages that hold former circus lions on their arrival at OR Tambo International airport in Johannesburg.
“Some of our older guys, like Ricardo and Joseph who both have sight problems, will be provided with special needs-type enclosures, with anything that could harm them removed”, Cremer said.
An animal rights group has flown 33 lions rescued from circuses throughout Peru and Colombia to spend the rest of their lives on a reserve in Africa.
“They should fit right into that habitat – it’s the best environment for them”.
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Cremer said that once at Emoya, the lions would first be released into bonding camps – the largest enclosures they have ever known and “where families will be reintroduced to one another and become familiarised with their new home”. “It is a wonderful feeling to bring them back to their home”.
