Lions and tigers begin a long-awaited rescue from a notorious Argentine zoo

LUJAN, Argentina (AP) — Thirty lions and tigers that endured years of cramped confinement in concrete cages at a shuttered Argentine zoo are beginning their journey to better lives. Transport crates containing the animals have begun arriving at two prestigious wildlife sanctuaries: a large reserve in South Africa and another in the United States.

Four Paws, the international animal-welfare group handling the transfer, described the endeavor as one of the most significant relocations of big cats in history. Luciana D’Abramo, program director for Four Paws, expressed optimism about the future of the rescued felines, stating that their lives would greatly benefit from the new accommodations.

The big cats were originally housed at the former Luján Zoo, located approximately 43 miles northwest of Buenos Aires. The zoo, known for allowing visitors to interact with the tigers and lions, was closed in 2020 due to safety and animal welfare concerns. At the time of closure, about 200 big cats lived there. Four Paws began working on a solution in 2023, and by the time they took over the site two years later, only 62 cats remained.

Upon arrival at the new locations, nine tigers and six lions will reside at Lionsrock, a sanctuary housing over 80 big cats in expansive natural enclosures. The remaining eight tigers and seven lions will journey to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado, a vast refuge where rescued big cats roam on the grasslands northeast of Denver.

However, the journey is far from simple; the animals traveling to Colorado will fly through Chile, while those heading to South Africa will traverse Frankfurt or Amsterdam before a four-hour drive to their destination.

The handling team had previously trained many of the lions and tigers to willingly enter their transport crates. Some, however, required sedation, including two tigers who were carried by hand into their crates. The organization had trained the former zoo employees in modern animal-welfare practices and improved their diets and medical care. Despite these efforts, some of the animals still face health issues such as obesity, muscle loss, dental and kidney disease, and injuries that never fully healed.