OUDSBERGEN — Two lions, Miron and Marek, that were evacuated from Ukraine due to the ongoing war, have been given a temporary home at the Natuurhulpcentrum (Nature Aid Centre) in Oudsbergen, Belgium.
The lions arrived on Wednesday after spending a quarantine period in Poland and were transferred to their new outdoor enclosure on Thursday morning.
The three-year-old lions were previously housed in a shelter near Kyiv but had to be relocated as the conflict intensified.
“The animals were in a shelter near Kyiv, which they had to leave because of the war,” said Frederik Thoelen, a biologist at the Natuurhulpcentrum. The lions were initially moved to a zoo in Poznań, Poland, where they waited for a more permanent solution.
The Natuurhulpcentrum, located in Belgium’s Limburg province, was contacted in November with a request to take in Miron and Marek. However, the centre was not immediately prepared to accommodate them.
“At that time, we were not yet in a position to do so,” Thoelen explained. In response, the technical team at the centre expedited the construction of several new enclosures specifically designed for big cats.
Once the enclosures were completed and the required documents were in order, the lions were transported from Poznań to Oudsbergen.
Upon their arrival, Miron and Marek were reported to be in good health. They had undergone medical tests for diseases and received vaccinations during their stay in Poland.
“They are doing well in that respect,” Thoelen noted. However, he emphasized that further observation is necessary to fully assess their condition.
“We now need to see how they cope with stress, how they move, and check whether they are not suffering from growth retardation. It will take a few weeks before we have a complete picture of their general health,” he said.
The fate of the two lions remains uncertain as the Natuurhulpcentrum has yet to find a permanent home for them. “We have already started looking for a place that could accommodate them, but we will only be able to really get started on that when we know what is going on,” Thoelen explained.
The potential new homes, which could be either zoos or wildlife parks, require comprehensive information about the lions’ behavior and health before making a decision.
As the search for a permanent refuge continues, Miron and Marek will remain under the care of the Natuurhulpcentrum staff.
The centre, known for its efforts to rescue and rehabilitate animals in distress, is committed to ensuring the well-being of the lions until a suitable solution is found.
The arrival of Miron and Marek has drawn attention to the plight of animals caught in conflict zones and highlighted the collaborative efforts between international organizations to secure their safety.
For now, the two lions can finally rest in a safe environment, far from the turmoil that forced them from their home.
