A tiger named Gina and her five lion companions had only known life in a cage filled with their excrement, having never set their paws on a blade of grass. Thankfully, all of these wild cats born in a Ukrainian zoo were relocated to a wildlife sanctuary outside Gqerberha recently.
They were kept in a private zoo in Chernivtsi and a zoo in Nikileav in Ukraine before a long and arduous journey to Simbonga Game Farm and Sanctuary in the Eastern Cape.
On behalf of Warriors of Wildlife, DHL sponsored the couriering of the cats, chartering these animals from Ukraine to their new home.
‘Transporting wild cats is always a great challenge and requires the trust and cooperation of all parties involved,’ said Lionel de Lange, Director of Warriors of Wildlife and Simbonga Game Farm and Sanctuary. ‘With DHL as an experienced animal logistics partner… we were able to manage this complex coordination effort with ease and bring the animals safely back to their home. Now, the lions and the tigress are in the very best environment with the proper care they need’.
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Warriors of Wildlife is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the rescue, relocation and future care of abused and neglected wildlife in captivity. The organisation was founded in 2016 by Lionel de Lange and his wife Anya Masyach and operates from Ukraine and South Africa.
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Pictures: DHL Global Forwarding/ Mike Dexter
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