Lion Cub Rescue Background
Just seven weeks after Born Free had taken the call from Romania, the young lion cubs safely arrived in Guernsey. Abandoned in Bucharest, the youngsters’ future could have been grim. Beach photographers’ props; circus performers or into the already over crowded zoo system; the options were limited. Thankfully though they were taken in by Monica Minciu and Ionut Lesovici from Romanian NGO, the Alliance for the Protection of Animals in Romania (APAR).
They arrived in Bucharest the week before Christmas and were taken into Monica’s flat. They grew quickly and soon began to cause havoc; the pressure was on to get them to their half way house at the GSPCA* on Guernsey. Here, in quarantine approved facilities, they will be cared for until they are big enough to make the journey down to South Africa and their new home at Shamwari.
It was not easy sorting out travel plans – the cubs were too young to be put into the hold of a plane and we did not want to have to drive them across the continent. It was then that a private donor stepped forward and offered his private plane.
With plans finally in place and a specially converted pen awaiting them at GSPCA, Born Free’s veterinary consultant John Knight and Programme Director Alison Hood set off early on Saturday 9th Feb from Hangar 8 at Oxford Airport. Hangar 8’s Dustin Dryden and James Wiskin organised the planes for the rescue and and Dustin kindly spent his Friday evening carefully securing the crates in the back of the plane.
Arriving in Bucharest three hours later they were met on the landing strip by Ionut and the Romania Handling Agents, Menzies and by cargo agents, Kamino. In the back of their car, the two lions cubs played in their crate, unaware of the journey that was about to unfold. Everything went smoothly in Bucharest: The Freight Agent, Infinite Marketing Group, had worked hard on the preparations for this move, liaising with the customs team and APAR. Everyone worked quickly and we soon had the cubs loaded into their crates in the back of the plane. Paperwork was completed and the plane easily made its 2.20pm pre-booked take off time. For the first half hour the cubs were nervous but then settled down as the flight progressed.
The plane, a Citation 1, that was provided by the team at Hangar 8, made good time on the journey to Guernsey. Pilots Niall Campbell and Chris Rigby ensuring their precious cargo had a smooth flight.
- Dustin Dryden and Marina
On landing at Guernsey, the team was met by Jayne Le Cras and Richard Papworth from the GSPCA along with BFF patron Josie Russell who’d flown in specially to welcome the lions and to support the rescue. Guernsey Customs had everything in place and again the transfer to the waiting vehicles went without a hitch. 10 minutes later the lions arrived at GSPCA Headquarters and were unloaded into their pen. After weeks of expert care by APAR, the cubs were fit and well and settled into their new home seemingly without missing a beat. They ate and drank and played, with no signs of nervousness at these strange surroundings. The team stayed with them for an hour or so, and then, like many young animals, they quickly shifted from excited play to fast asleep. They cubs were left in the care of Ged and Kip who would now be responsible for the youngsters until their move to South Africa.
It was a wonderful scene – so many people had pulled together to help this little cubs. From the private donor and Dustin, to the pilots – who, still in uniform, came to the shelter with the cubs, to Menzies who waived their fees, the teams at the GSPCA and APAR. And of course to the Sunday Mirror and their readers who, as they have down so many times in the past, stepped forward to help Born Free change animals lives for good.
The cubs have been named Marina after one of the funders and Sarnia, the old name for Guersey
Now, as plans are made for part two of their journey, the care regime will be solely adapted to help encourage them to be more independent and to start them on their way to a new home in Africa.
*Guersey Society for the Prevention of cruelty to Animals
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