A lioness rescued from war-torn Ukraine has taken her first steps outdoors at a sanctuary in Kent.
Three-year-old Yuna, who suffers from war neurosis, arrived at the Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden on August 17 and stayed in her enclosure for a week.
But the shelter, which said the dog had previously been confined to a small room on a concrete floor, said she had “begun to reveal a playful and curious nature.”
This included venturing out of her enclosure, feeling grass beneath her paws for the first time, and scratching at trees and tree trunks.
Yuna was held near Kyiv after her rescue and suffered trauma when debris from a rocket attack hit 300 meters from the small enclosure.
The reserve said she was held in a private home before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Rori, a male lion, is currently in Belgium and will be added to the sanctuary once a specially built enclosure is completed in November.
Cam Whitnall of the Big Cat Sanctuary said staff had been “chatting” with Yuna to help her settle into her new home.
“She comes out every day for a few hours now, but we’re watching her because she’s still very wobbly,” he said.
He added that Yuna had moved on to other activities, including playing with plants and tree bark, and becoming confused by the rain, as she previously did not have access to an outdoor enclosure.
The sanctuary is hoping to raise £500,000 to complete the facility and eventually bring a total of five lions from Kyiv to Kent.
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