Traumatized lion Diego now safe

Global animal welfare organization Four Paws has rescued an eight-year-old lion named Diego from inappropriate custody in a Slovakian big cat facility.

On November 6, the male lion arrived safely at Felida Big Cat Sanctuary in the Northern Netherlands. Four Paws runs the sanctuary, which specializes in the care of traumatized big cats.

Diego has shown clear signs of a traumatic past and is now being given the chance to recover.

Ariane Aquilina, manager of the Wild Animal Project and Advocacy, led Diego’s rescue.

She told Rekord that Diego has been with Felida for a few days.

“On his arrival he was tired from the long journey and needed a good night’s sleep. You can tell that he has experienced a lot of trauma in his past. He is very afraid of people, so the first step will be to build trust with his new caregivers. We are proud of him for having already made progress. He will also learn important commands, so that he can be fed or given medicine, for example,” Aquilina explains.

Felida has a link with the South African branch of Four Paws, which has a similar Big Cat Sanctuary in Lionsrock near Bethlehem in the Free State.

More than twenty big cats have been transferred from Felida Big Cat Sanctuary to Lionsrock. A total of thirteen of them are still alive: eight lions, four tigers and one leopard.

Currently, there are 97 big cats (76 lions, 18 tigers and three leopards), one hyena and one cheetah at Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary.

Aquilina explained that Diego needs to learn how to be a Lion again and their professional team was there to support him every step of the way.

“Let’s not forget that Diego spent most of his life alone in private property. He is a very social animal and we will try to socialize him with one of the lionesses once he has settled in. We know from experience that lions really benefit from living together in captivity, so hopefully our efforts to introduce him to other lions will be successful. We are already seeing progress and are very happy to see Diego start his new life.”

Diego was born in 2016 in the Czech Republic, where his first owner wanted to sell him to be hunted and killed for sport.

An animal activist privately acquired Diego to save him from the cruel fate of ending up as a trophy on the wall.

Due to a lack of other options, she took him to a private tiger sanctuary near Bratislava in 2018, where he was kept alone in a small space without any means to exhibit natural behavior. The facility is not suitable for keeping big cats and does not have professionally trained staff.

For Aquilina, two of the biggest challenges in rescuing Diego were the welfare of the animal being transported and of course the safety of their team.

“Our team consists of experts with years of expertise in rescuing animals from poor keeping conditions. To rescue Diego, we had him accompanied by a wildlife veterinarian from Slovakia to the Netherlands to regularly check his health during transport. This is especially important because big cats from private households often suffer from serious health problems,” said Aquilina.

She confirmed that Diego seems to be in relatively good shape for now.

“He is a bit overweight and during his check-up we found broken canines that will be treated later. Given his past, it is very likely that he will suffer long-term health consequences in the future. He will be in the best hands with Felida as they specialize in the care of traumatized big cats.”

She told Rekord that they had organized the rescue operation and that they had to be particularly careful in communicating with the owner of the Slovak facility where he was being held to ensure his cooperation.

Diego’s fate is one of many similar stories that will be told in the new documentary film Dethroned.

Fiona Miles, director at Four Paws South Africa, said that through the film, Four Paws aims to bring about a shift in public awareness and responsibility towards big cats.

She stated that the documentary calls for a global shift in the way people view and protect these majestic animals.

“It asks all of us to think not only about our own relationships with big cats, but also to think about what becomes of humanity if we continue to destroy all that is sacred.

“We hope audiences leave with a new understanding of what happens behind the scenes and a conviction to support efforts that protect big cats, rather than exploit them. These animals belong in the wild, not in cages or as props, and the more we are aware of this, the closer we come to ending these harmful practices.”

Dethroned’s message is clear: real change starts with awareness.

For Miles, one of the most striking aspects of the film was seeing how these majestic animals, symbols of strength and freedom, are often reduced to mere commodities.

“In several countries we saw big cats confined in cramped, unnatural conditions, deprived of their basic needs and behavior. The experience was overwhelming and highlighted how far-reaching and normalized the exploitation of big cats has become around the world,” said Miles.

South Africa is a major hub for commercial exploitation and legal and illegal trade in big cat species, where thousands of big cats, including lions and tigers, are bred and raised in captivity for human entertainment, profit and consumption.

The country is also the largest global exporter of big cats to Asia, where there is a demand for big cat parts used for traditional medicine or turned into luxury products.

According to Miles, the consequences of this exploitation and the scale of the industry are devastating, not only for the individual animals, but also for the country’s reputation for conservation.

Through Dethroned, the animal welfare organization is calling for an end to the commercial trade of all big cats in South Africa, urging both the public and policy makers to support stronger protection for big cats and advocate for a future where these beautiful animals can live freely. their natural environment.

– The upcoming documentary will stream exclusively online on November 26 at 8 p.m. To join the conversation, register for FREE here. A streaming link will be shared via email one day before the event. Viewers can look forward to a live Q&A with the cast and crew after the screening.

– SEE the circumstances Diego found himself in:

– More about Dethroned:

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