Wildlife is important. That’s why we were eager to help five wild lions and one tiger, all born in Ukraine. They traveled safely to South Africa with DHL.
- DHL supports Warriors of Wildlife in rescuing wild cats
- Five lions and one tiger from Ukraine were safely transported and found a new home in South Africa
DHL continues its commitment to supporting wildlife. This time by assisting a conservation organization with the rescue of five lions and one tiger from captivity. On behalf of Warriors of Wildlife, the wild cats, all born in Ukraine, were relocated safely to South Africa. Following this transport, the non-profit organization has rescued a total of 28 wild cats and other animals from Ukraine. In the past, DHL has also helped relocate several brown bears, pandas, and most recently, “the world’s loneliest elephant,” Kaavan.
5 lions and a tiger on a plane reclaiming their spot in wildlife
“To make the journey as pleasant as possible for our special guests, profound expertise and a well-coordinated team are key. Our ‘Lions and Falcons of DHL’, as I like to call our staff, brought the animals safely back to their wild home base. In the sanctuary of Warriors of Wildlife, they are finally back where they belong – two of them have South African parents. The lions Hercules, Cher, Khaya, Ilana, Arslan, as well as the tiger Kisa, travelled with us for 72 hours. Not an easy job, but one we accepted wholeheartedly,” says Amadou Diallo, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding MEA. Interesting detail: the lion Arsan got his name from our Turkish Airfreight team.
The wild cats were living in a private zoo in Chernivtsi and a zoo in Nikolaev in the south of Ukraine. DHL brought them to a sanctuary run by the head of the wildlife organization Lionel de Lange. The Simbonga Game Farm & Sanctuary is located near Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Eastern Cape, South Africa. Throughout the whole journey veterinarian specialists monitored the animals. In Ukraine, the DHL team had the support of a Ukrainian vet until departure. Together with the director of Warriors for Wildlife and another veterinarian they boarded their flight from Boryspil International Airport to O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. The last leg of their journey the cats travelled via road before they could finally enjoy their new home.
Finally back home in the wild
“Transporting wild cats is always a great challenge and requires the trust and cooperation of all parties involved. We were able to manage this complex coordination effort with ease and bring the animals safely back to their home. All with the help of DHL as an experienced animal logistics partner. Now, the lions and the tigress are in the very best environment with the proper care they need,” says Lionel de Lange, Director Warriors of Wildlife and Simbonga Game Farm & Sanctuary.
Warriors of Wildlife is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, relocation and future care of abused and neglected wildlife in captivity. Lionel de Lange and his wife Anya Masyach and operates from Ukraine and South Africa founded the organization in 2016.
