ADI has been asked to provide a forever home for lions 13-year-old Coralie and 11-year old Goliath, who have escaped the circus following France’s ban on wild animal acts in circuses in 2021. The law has phased out the animal circuses with stopping breeding, setting of welfare standards, and the full ban is set to take effect in 2028.

Of course, we said yes! Tim and I went to visit Coralie and Goliath to finalise the agreement to bring them home to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. The couple have lived together all their lives and are close, affectionate, and remind us very much of our dear Tarzan and Tanya from Guatemala (like Coralie, Tanya is also a little older than Tarzan).

Coralie and Goliath were removed from Cirque Idéal in France, following an investigation by our colleagues from the Free Life Association, which exposed how they were confined to a tiny, rusting cage on the back of a truck. A complaint was filed with the authorities, but the circus left town and disappeared – a familiar story for ADI, as we have often had to pursue circuses for months! Then a stroke of luck; a town hall contacted Free Life, saying the circus had been on their land for several months and was refusing to leave. The other lions were removed and given a temporary space in a zoo, but Coralie and Goliath could not be homed – it was claimed that Goliath was aggressive, but when Tim and I met him, we found him to be a peaceful, playful soul.

Goliath and Coralie were taken to Tonga Terre D’Accueil, a temporary holding centre for confiscated wildlife established in 2007 which is funded/attached to a zoo, Espace Zoologique de Saint-Martin-la-Plaine. Their first rescue was a hippopotamus confiscated from a circus, (coincidentally, one that Tim and I worked to free through a court case in the noughties) and they have since housed and relocated over 500 wild animals rescued from cruelty cases, or confiscated from traffickers, or illegal exotic pets. But it is not a permanent home – Coralie and Goliath cannot stay there.

After a long process to get permission from the wildlife and veterinary officials in France and South Africa, we have our permits and are looking for flights!

Now, let’s get them home!

We need help – we must build new crates for Goliath and Coralie (on our last rescue we shipped two old crates flat-packed, but it was not as economic as we hoped). The new crates will be built in France (to international transport specifications) at a cost of €5,000 / $5,500 / £4,200 each. Other transport costs will include trucks to and from the airports in France and South Africa; customs and ground charges. We hope to get a free flight, or a concession on flight costs for both the lions and for Tim and myself to accompany them. We will keep you updated!

Meanwhile at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary….

We are busy building a new tiger house so that Sasha tiger can move out of Stephi Habitat to our new Alexis Habitat, opposite her family (Max, Stripes, Lupe, Luna, Sun, Moon).

Then, Stephi Habitat will be converted to our first permanent quarantine unit, initially for Coralie and Goliath and then other animals who arrive and need quick space. They will have about 2.5 acres of space, plenty of room to run and play (or just snooze) – more space than they have ever known.

While Coralie and Goliath are in quarantine, our next task is to work on their permanent home – Antonia Habitat (7.5 acres = 110metres x 250metres / 361ft x 820ft).

We must complete house and fence repairs and add some lion viewing platforms. Currently, this habitat is home (at night) to Matilda the cow and her family of sheep and goats, while their new barns and enclosures are being built. They roam during the day, but come in at night, protected from larger native wildlife.

This is a lot of moving around, but although we have 455 acres in total, we have never had spare finances to build extra habitats and houses, for future residents. We build as we need them.

It is also essential that we raise funds for Coralie and Goliath’s care including veterinary treatment for the next decade, this is a major commitment but one that we think you’ll agree they deserve.

Tim and I do hope you can help us bring Coralie and Goliath home to Africa. Their story breaks our hearts. After a lifetime of suffering, abuse, shouting and screaming in the circus, living in a tiny space the size of a truck, on bare boards, nothing of interest and the wonderful outside world, the other side of the bars. These two beautiful souls need us to change their lives forever.

So, what do you think? Shall we do it?
Would you like to bring another Tarzan and Tanya to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary?
This important rescue will help drive forward the French circus ban, ensuring every cage is empty by 2028.

I think this is a YES WE CAN!
With you by our side, we can do this.

Please help Coralie and Goliath today! Donate UK £, Euros, Rand | Donate US $, CA $