Coralie and Goliath spent their first decade in a tiny, rusting cage on the back of a truck, sleeping on bare boards – prisoners of Cirque Idéal in France.
With your help these doting lions could be starting a new life at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, THIS MONTH!
In circuses, animals are confined in small spaces, in cages the size of a queen-size bed. They would never run, explore, or play. Never have the sun over their head. A brutal life of deprivation, lack of space. They had no access to life on the other side of their bars. Deprived of everything that makes life worth living.
As we know, circuses cannot meet the physical or behavioral needs of wild animals. They are often seen behaving abnormally – rocking, swaying, and pacing, all indicating they are in distress and not coping with their environment. This was the life that Coralie and Goliath were living.
After France passed a law in 2021 phasing out animal circuses, Coralie and Goliath were removed from Cirque Idéal, following an investigation and ADI was asked to provide a forever home. Tim and I immediately said yes! This was a chance for us to return these wonderful lions to the land of their ancestors, in the African sun where they belong.
Coralie and Goliath are currently being kept at a temporary holding center in France as we work to get their flights scheduled. We have secured the permits to move them to their new home, and – thanks to your generous support – we have raised enough money to build their crates, which cost $5,500 / £4,200 each.
But we are still a long way off our fundraising target to cover the costs of a mission like this. We hope to be flying them before the end of the month, will you help make that happen?
Help bring them home: Donate £, Euros, Rand | Donate US/Can $
There’s always a lot to do to prepare for a new arrival. The new house is nearing completion and habitat landscaping is underway with three pools and more for tiger Sasha. Her current habitat will become our main quarantine unit for new arrivals. This quarantine space will provide Coralie and Goliath – and future rescued animals – with about 2.5 acres of space to run and play. These renovations have added to the cost of getting our new lions back home.
Coralie and Goliath have lived together all their lives and are a close, affectionate pair. They may remind you of our dear Tanya and Tarzan, who have enjoyed life at the Sanctuary since 2020, after we rescued them from a circus in Guatemala. Just like these two, Coralie and Goliath will be able to enjoy the rest of their lives free from suffering at the hands of humans.
This rescue will transform the lives of Coralie and Goliath and is an important step towards eliminating all wild animals in French circuses by 2028. ADI is ready to help move this ban along quickly, as we’ve done many times in other countries. This starts by getting Coralie and Goliath to their new home in South Africa. Can you help change their lives forever?
Jan Creamer 