Lions rescued from war-torn Ukraine get health checks

By Charlie Fenton

Watch as three orphaned lions saved from war-torn Ukraine get health MOTs.

Oleg, and siblings Rafael and Shanti, receiving full health checks following their arrival at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in September earlier this year.

Oleg was rescued as a cub from private owners who fled the Sumy region during the escalation of war.

Rafael and Shanti were saved from the Kharkiv region where they faced daily shelling after they were found next to their dying mother.

The animals had blood samples taken as well as their teeth and joints checked - Oleg and Rafael also underwent a vasectomy.

Since their arrival they have been so happy to have escaped, they have even been playing 'hide and seek' with each other.

Bex Brown, Head of Carnivores, said they underwent to check up after the boys - Oleg and Rafael - were coming up to breeding age.

She said: "The team has been working closely with the lions to build up their confidence and settle them in.

"Oleg and Rafael were coming up to breeding age and the vets recommended that we vasectomise them, so this was a good opportunity to give the youngsters a full MOT."

Specialist vets from the International Zoo Veterinary Group came to the Park to assess the orphaned pride.

Oleg was the first to be examined by the vets.

Sometimes animals have to be darted with a tranquilizer to be examined, but thanks to his training, Oleg voluntarily came over to the vet, who injected him, and he was soon fast asleep.

Once the vets were happy that he was fully tranquilized, he was carried on a stretcher to the neighboring den that had been set up as a temporary operating theater.

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The vets quickly got to work and took blood samples for various tests to check the general health, organ function and genetic health of the lion.

They also closely examined and photographed his teeth and manipulated and felt his joints and bones before clearing the room for the X-rays.

The procedure was repeated with Rafael and Shanti - Oleg and Rafael also underwent a vasectomy.

Bex said: ‘It was a long day for us but as stress-free as possible for the lions and the results are looking good, which is great news for everyone.

"They all came round really well and were soon back to their normal selves.’

"The lions have made heartwarming progress here at the park.

“We mixed them back together a couple of days ago and it was fantastic - It was like they'd never lived apart.

“When they first arrived about three months ago, Oleg was shut down, hiding away in the corner of the lion house alone.

“Whenever they saw an airplane or helicopter, they would go back into the house and cower down.

“But now the three have been transformed, even playing hide and seek together and snuggling up together at night.

"They boys have also developed a real ‘bromance’!

“It was great to see them run and chase each other and pretend to hunt each other.

"At first they could do the seek but not the hide part.

"They didn’t know how to sneak up."

The lions rescue is the third undertaken by Yorkshire Wildlife Park which has seen a total of 17 lions brought to the zoo's Lion Country over the years.