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Panthera leo
Photographed at the Born Free centre in Shamwari Eastern Cape SA, where they rehabilitate captive african big cats from zoos & private owners in the hope of eventually returning them to the wild. Sadly many of the cats at the sanctuary are so traumatized by their lives in captivity the most they can do for them is to provide a natural environment for them to live permanently.
8 Comments
Thanks animaisfotos!
Touching picture and story. Thanks for sharing.
I'm sure that would be appreciated - I believe that the sanctuary is funded solely from donations & sponsorships! :)
This picture is very beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Especially from someone who has been there! I almost adopted Sinbad who lives there! I might still do so!
I find cruelty towards animals in any form difficult to accept. Thankfully there are places like Born Free but until & unless something is done to stop the illegal trade in wild animals these sad stories are bound to be repeated.
@ Karen, the diaries give an update periodically and i am relieved that they have a place to live free. From what I read, looks like they do make progress and find happiness.Virginia Mckenna takes a personal interest . She genuinely loves lions.How do you come to terms with cruelty? It is equally hard for us to be witnessing it ,directly or indirectly.
I have Emma! It is a wonderful place & also a great educational facility. I don't recall the name of this lioness only that she had been been very traumatized & would cower any time that the workers there approached her. It was terribly sad - I think you can even see the fear in her expression. There was another male lion there that had been kept from when he was a cub in a cage in the basement of a restaurant. He couldn't roar but used to make a weird barking sound - there had been a dog tied up outside his cage & the staff there think he used to hear the dog barking & was trying to communicate in the same way. I is absolutely tragic the way some people treat wild animals.
@ Karen,have you been here? What is the name of this Lioness? I read the Shamwari diaries.I love Sinbad.