The lions were among 48 animals rescued from Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.
LONDON — Eleven lions rescued from conflict-torn Sudan have found a new home in South Africa, animal charity Four Paws has announced.
The lions — who were among 48 rescued from Sudan’s capital Khartoum, the heart of the conflict — were taken to the LionsRock Big Cat Sanctuary in Bethlehem, South Africa.
“The lions have spent nine months surrounded by the tragedies of war. They are injured, weak, emaciated and prone to injury,” Four Paws said in a statement sent to ABC News. “Getting them out of the conflict zone in Sudan was an emotional rollercoaster and a challenge beyond anything we’ve done before.”
The lions were originally rescued from Sudan’s capital Khartoum in November 2023 and evacuated to a designated safe area in Wad Madani, capital of Sudan’s Al Jazirah state.
But as fighting reached Wad Madani after the Rapid Support Force paramilitary group advanced amid heavy clashes with Sudan’s armed forces, the lions were evacuated in an “emergency rescue” in January.
Once out of Sudan, the lions were taken to the Al Ma’wa Sanctuary for Nature and Wildlife in Souf, Jordan where they received initial treatment. Four Paws told the ABC that a total of 15 lions, four hyenas and a serval cat were taken to Jordan. One of the lions died there, the group said.
“Due to their critical health condition and urgent need for treatment and monitoring, the other rescued animals — three lions, four hyenas and a manservant — found a long-term home there,” Four Paws said.
Other animals, including deer and birds, that were evacuated with the lions in November 2023 could be released back into the wild, Four Paws says.
Four Paws says it is delighted that “tireless efforts” in conjunction with the Sudanese authorities and a global network of organizations have paid off.
“These eleven lions are ambassadors of hope,” the group said.
He added: “Unfortunately, more and more conflicts are emerging around the world, causing humanitarian crises, but also a threat to captive animals that depend on human care.”
Decades of conflict in Sudan have severely affected the Northeast African nation’s wildlife and wildlife habitats. Researchers I found that “armed conflicts have largely devastating effects on wildlife habitat populations through tactical military strategies and effects on institutions, human movements and economies.”
Dr Amir Khalil, Four Paws vet, said the lions can finally get some “rest, peace and proper care”.