These lion cubs are going home for Xmas

In Eastern Europe, far away from the African savannah, a strange trend has seen pet lions become the ultimate status symbol for the rich. And these five faces are the sad result. You see when caring for their unique requirements became too much, these cubs were confined to cages in the snow.

But one man, Lionel de Lange, was having none of it. He’s been freeing captive animals in the Ukraine for years and knew these five tearaways needed some special help. And now with the help of his determination and the support of donations, these cubs are being flown home to South Africa next week.

They’ll now live out their days with the smell of the African bush in their nostrils and the sun on their backs. Their new home is a wildlife sanctuary in the north west of the country. A place where these cubs can live wild and free; as nature intended.