Three lions—Cleopatra, Zorya, and Mira—have been successfully relocated from Ukraine, where Russia’s invasion has devastated wildlife habitats, to a sanctuary in South Africa, in a rescue mission supported by international partners including American content creator MrBeast.
According to Animal Survival International (ASI), the rescue was part of a year-long operation involving multiple NGOs, logistics teams, and international agencies. The lions, now living in the LionWatch Project sanctuary in Limpopo province, were transported thousands of miles by land and air.
A video documenting the mission was published on YouTube by American content creator MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) as part of his global initiative to help animals in crisis. The episode, presented in multiple languages, follows the lions’ journey from Ukraine to South Africa and is part of a broader campaign to rescue 1,000 animals worldwide.
In the Russian-language version, the voiceover does not mention Russia’s war against Ukraine, although references to the conflict remain in the on-screen subtitles.
Animal Survival International’s Executive Director David Barritt said the effort required coordination across several countries. “The challenges we faced were a constant reminder of the war’s devastating impact on all living beings,” Barritt said in an ASI press release on September 15, 2025.
Mark Drusch, Chief Officer Cargo at Qatar Airways Cargo, emphasized the company’s role in transporting the lions as part of its WeQare Rewild the Planet initiative: “It takes a lot of effort and logistics for our team to organize moving such large animals… but it is something we are all collectively very proud and passionate to be a part of.”
In a statement published by ASI, Anthony Peniston of the LionWatch Project said the lions had “endured unimaginable trauma” but were now “home in Africa, where they belong.”
According to ASI, the lioness Cleopatra was rescued from a private zoo in Ukraine that had ceased operations due to the war. The cubs, Zorya and Mira, were found near active combat zones suffering from malnutrition and broken limbs. Their extraction involved a high-risk overland route to Warsaw, Poland, due to Ukraine’s restricted airspace.
Once in Poland, the lions were flown via Qatar Airways to South Africa, where they now reside on a 56-hectare reserve near Alldays. The relocation effort was supported by various logistics and customs agents across Ukraine, Poland, and South Africa.
Earlier, three other lions—Atas, Queen, and Lulaju—were evacuated from the Kyiv region and resettled in the Arne‑sur‑Vitte Zoo in Burgundy, France, after a 90-hour journey. The rescue was coordinated by the International Fund for Animal Welfare due to increasing risks from ongoing Russian attacks and deteriorating conditions in local shelters.
