Poachers Target Rescued Circus Lions in Worrying New Trend
At least 20 captive lions in a single province of South Africa have been killed or attacked by poachers so far this year.
It was a fairy tale ending when 33 lions rescued from circuses in Peru and Colombia were airlifted to a sanctuary in South Africa in May 2016. Setting foot on the sandy soil after years of abuse, they must have felt they were in paradise.
Right from the start, two of the male lions, José and Liso, housed in the special needs section of the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary, were fast friends. Liso looked out for José, who had brain damage from blows to his head during his circus days, guiding him around their enclosure.
When the team from Animal Defenders International first saw them in Peru, “they were snarling, spitting balls of fury,” recalls Jan Creamer, CEO and co-founder
