The news I am sure you have been waiting for – we are counting down to fly the Kuwait 6 (Muheeb, Saif, Dhubiya, Aziza, Shujaa and Saham) lions home to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS), South Africa, on 19 May!

The South African CITES import permit had to be cancelled and reissued when we added precious, shy lioness Aziza to the flight, causing a delay. We are now working to secure the final veterinary permits and that will be their ticket to fly to their homeland.

With your help, 20 May – just 17 days’ time – will see these young lions running and playing, more space and sky than they have ever known, in the land of their forefathers at the ADIWS.

We will transform the lives of these animals and strike a blow against the cruel and illegal wildlife trade, fuelled by people seeking a status symbol – illegal, doomed for an unnatural life of isolation on a chain or caged in a basement, so that someone could show them off as if they were a new watch, or a car.

As these animals grow, they become too strong and expensive to feed, or the owner just becomes bored of the novelty and doesn’t want to care for a being who may live for 20 years. So  they are often abandoned. There are reports of lions being dumped in the desert to starve and lion cubs released on the streets of Kuwait City (as some of these were).

Our newest residents on their way to freedom at ADIWS were either abandoned, surrendered, or confiscated. We are grateful to the Kuwait Zoo and officials caring for these lions and helping us to relocate them. Also, a huge thanks to Qatar Airways, who are donating the flight as part of their WeQare programme.

Tim and I will be flying to Kuwait next weekend to build the ADI travel crates and make final arrangements before the flight. Dr Peter Caldwell will join us to do their physical examination and travel with the lions – Tim and I will bring you regular updates from Kuwait and during the flight.

DON’T FORGET – these precious lions need your support – they are young, and each could enjoy 20 years at the ADIWS – a combined 120 years in ADI care! Can you adopt one or more of them, support and follow them for life? We urgently need to cover their long term living costs. Can you help?

We have made our commitment, we’ll do whatever it takes to bring them home to their native land, but we must raise more funds for their lifelong care – so we can always provide aid to other animals in trouble.

Please consider a donation today: UK, Euros, Rand | US and CA $

Adoptions will be available soon.

The countdown has started, let’s bring them home!