Thirty lions and tigers are embarking on new journeys to wildlife sanctuaries in South Africa and the United States, leaving behind cramped conditions at a former zoo in Argentina. The rescue operation, described as one of the largest relocations of captive big cats globally by the international animal-welfare organization Four Paws, began Friday as the animals entered transport crates at the former Luján Zoo, located about 70 kilometers northwest of Buenos Aires.
Nine tigers and six lions are headed to Lionsrock, a Four Paws sanctuary in South Africa. The remaining eight tigers and seven lions will travel to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado. The journey for the cats bound for Colorado includes a stop in Chile, while those going to South Africa will transit through Frankfurt or Amsterdam before reaching their destination.
Handlers from Four Paws trained many of the big cats to enter their transport crates voluntarily. However, some animals, including two tigers, required sedation and were moved by veterinarians using canvas slings.
The Luján Zoo, once known for allowing visitors to interact with big cats, was shut down by Argentine authorities in 2020 due to safety and animal welfare concerns. At its closure, approximately 200 big cats resided at the facility. When Four Paws initially arrived in 2023, 112 cats remained. By the time the organization was permitted to take over the site two years later, their number had decreased to 62.
Many of the animals suffered from health issues, including obesity, muscle loss, poor nutrition, dental and kidney disease, and unhealed injuries. Four Paws has been working to improve the cats' diets and medical care, retraining former zoo employees in modern animal welfare practices. More than 20 lions and tigers remain at the Luján site while Four Paws seeks suitable long-term homes for them.