![\"Lions\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/4_Yorkshire-Wildlife-park-launch-fundraising-appeal.jpg\")
The young lions are stranded in Ukraine(Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Park)<\/p>\nYorkshire Wildlife Park is urging the British public to help their mercy mission to save lions from UkraineThe young lions are stranded in Ukraine(Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Park)<\/p>\n
Three young lions stranded in war-torn Ukraine are being rescued by a British wildlife charity and park. Yorkshire Wildlife Park<\/a> is appealing to the British public to help bring stricken Oleg, Rafael and Shanti, to safety.<\/p>\n The trio who have \u201csurvived against all odds\u201d are currently in a rescue and rehabilitation centre in Kyiv and are thought to be about nine months old. The lions have been through hell since they were born, with siblings Rafael and Shanti discovered in the Kharkiv region next to their dying mother. The tragic lioness who had been abandoned in a private menagerie and starved.<\/p>\n The third lion, Oleg, is all alone after being rescued as a cub from private owners, who fled the Sumy Oblast region during the escalation of war. YWP has been told he was raised by humans but desperately in need of connections with other lions.<\/p>\n Now The WildLife Foundation<\/a>, the charity based at the park, is launching an appeal to fund their rescue and the 2000-mile journey to Doncaster. It is the third rescue undertaken by Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which has previously seen 17 rescue lions brought to Lion Country, its seven-acre reserve.<\/p>\n Director of Animals, Charlotte MacDonald, revealed: \u201cWe are delighted to be able to support another lion rescue and save these beautiful lions who have not had the best start in life.<\/p>\n \u201cOleg and Rafael and Shanti will meet for the first time to live in a proper pride-like setting for the first time. Oleg currently lives alone and so we are looking forward to introducing him to the others.<\/p>\n \u201cRafael and Shanti survived against all odds and are now inseparable, gentle and curious around people. They will live safely together in their new home in Yorkshire.\u201d<\/p>\n The park has a history of rescuing lions around the world<\/a>, starting with a mercy mission to save 13 Romanian lions back in 2010. These lions were flown back to the UK after the British public backed the rescue. Sadly Carla and Crystal, the two remaining Romanian lions, recently died.<\/p>\n The success of this first rescue encouraged park bosses to take on a second lion rescue in 2024. The Mirror<\/a> joined their experts to bring Aysa and her cubs, Emi, Santa and Teddi, now nearly three years old, back to the UK from Poland. They arrived at the Doncaster wildlife park after travelling more than 2,000 miles across six countries.<\/p>\n The lions were found abandoned in the Donetsk region of Ukraine<\/a> after the Russian invasion. They were left cowering in fear amid the bombs, alone with no food and water. The little pride was taken to a rescue centre in Poland but the cubs had to be separated from mum.<\/p>\n For months they lived in concrete pens next to their mum but unable to see the sky or go outside because of a shortage of space. They are now thriving in Lion Country and Aysa has since given birth<\/a> to three more cubs.<\/p>\n YWP CEO John Minion said: \u201cWe are looking forward to welcoming the new lions to the park and proud to be rescuing lions for the third time.\u201d<\/p>\n The WildLife Foundation has played a key role in raising funds to support the rescues, transportations and rehabilitations of the lions.<\/p>\n Trustee Cheryl Williams said: \u201cWe are extremely proud of our previous rescues, and it is rewarding to see all of the lions settle into their home in Yorkshire<\/p>\n \u201cWe hope that Oleg, Rafael and Shanti will enjoy the quality of life they deserve here.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are really grateful for all donations to The Foundation. However big or small, they make a huge difference to animals around the world and our rescues would not have been possible without the support.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Oleg](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1_Yorkshire-Wildlife-park-launch-fundraising-appeal.jpg\")
Oleg living a solitary life in Kyiv after being rescued (Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Park)<\/p>\n![\"Oleg,](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1751267771_730_1_Yorkshire-Wildlife-park-launch-fundraising-appeal.jpg\")
Oleg could soon join his new pride at award-winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster (Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Park)<\/p>\n![\"Oleg](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1751267772_651_1_Yorkshire-Wildlife-park-launch-fundraising-appeal.jpg\")
Oleg who has only ever known humans after being kept privately in Ukraine(Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Park)<\/p>\n![\"Yorkshire](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1751267772_699_1_Yorkshire-Wildlife-park-launch-fundraising-appeal.jpg\")
One of the three lions the Yorkshire Wildlife Park hope to rehome(Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Park)<\/p>\n