Written by Jake Shoolheifer
Horus, Kuuma, Dadou and a still to be named 'Girl' are all only a few months old. Taken from their mothers before they were weaned, they were found in terrible suffering – battling the pain of glaucoma, extreme hair loss, skin irritations and diarrhoea.
They were discovered in captive conditions no animal should ever be subjected to – an apartment, a garage, even a Lamborghini on the Champs-Élysées. This is because they were part of Europe's trade in wild animals; from circuses, zoos and private keeping.
An increasing number of wild animals are kept in shockingly deprived conditions. They can come from many different sources. Some animals may be bred in captivity, some may be traded as surplus from zoos and circuses, while others are caught from the wild. There's no way of knowing where these four little cubs originally came from, but Born Free knows it can give them a better future.
Born Free opposes the keeping of, and the associated trade in live animals. Wild animals, whether they are caught from the wild or born in captivity, have complex needs that cannot be met by private keepers in a domestic environment. By donating to the Lions of Lyon campaign, you’ll be helping Born Free get all four cubs to its big cat sanctuary at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, South Africa. Any additional funds will go towards the lifetime care of the cubs and the work at Shamwari.