Motan and Pisa arrived at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in April 2019. The two lions were transferred out of the Gaza Strip in what was FOUR PAWS biggest emergency mission to date. When arriving at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary, it was evident that they’d only been kept in tiny concrete cages as they didn’t know how to react to the sensation of grass under their feet. 

Both Motan and Pisa are healthy, have adapted well to their new environment, and are warming up to their new caretakers. Pisa had her first medical check soon after arriving. As she was used for breeding by her previous owner, she has since been spayed. We’re happy to say that she’s in good health and flourishing, after initially being shy and insecure.

We can already see significant improvements since their arrival, and both lions have gained a healthy amount of weight.

Motan, who at first struggled to walk on the grass, is now walking and running with confidence. We suspect Motan might have had sores on his feet, but they have healed since his arrival. Pisa was sterilised a few weeks after her arrival, and these two were temporarily separated until she was completely healed. She likes playing with Motan and is very close to him. They are both very energetic and enjoy their enrichment a lot.

Along with a good diet, we are giving them supplements to continue improving their health. From experience, lions who sometimes have had limited access to food in their lives become very protective when they are fed; for this reason, we will continue to feed them separately for the time being. It has been a heartwarming journey for everyone at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary to see how much these two have improved and that they’ve built a great amount of confidence whilst being in our care.