The Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster recently captured a deeply touching and emotional moment: a solitary orphaned lion named Oleg meeting his siblings Rafael and Shanti for the first time since birth. All three cubs were rescued from war‑torn Ukraine and transported to the UK earlier this year.

Oleg was originally rescued from a private collection in the Sumy region, where the owners abandoned him as the conflict escalated. Because he was raised by humans, he is fearful of people, but he has never had the chance to bond with other lions. Meanwhile, Rafael and Shanti were discovered in the Kharkiv area beside their dying mother — a lioness reportedly starved and left in a private menagerie — and miraculously survived despite extreme hardship (Yorkshire Wildlife Park).

After Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s associated charity, the WildLife Foundation, succeeded in raising sufficient funds, the three cubs were transported over approximately 1,700 miles (nearly 2,000 km) from Ukraine to South Yorkshire in July. Their journey was not straightforward — at one point they were delayed for 15 hours at the Polish border before crossing via ferry into the UK. Once in England, park staff kept Rafael and Shanti together in a separate enclosure from Oleg initially, then arranged a controlled “mesh meet” where the siblings could see one another before full physical introduction. 

At the moment when Oleg first came face to face with Rafael and Shanti, the meeting was described by caretakers as profoundly moving and hopeful. The park’s director of animals, Charlotte MacDonald, said that the introduction would allow the three to begin to form social bonds and eventually live in a more natural pride-like structure. 

This is not the first time Yorkshire Wildlife Park has come to the aid of lions in distress. In 2010, the park accepted 13 lions from Romania that had been kept in dire conditions. While many of those lions have passed away over the years, two — Carla and Crystal — remained until recently. 

More recently, in 2024, the park also rescued a lioness, Aysa, and her three cubs (Emi, Santa, and Teddi), who had been abandoned in the Donetsk region of Ukraine during hostilities. They were brought to safety via transit through Poland before arriving in Doncaster, and have since adjusted to their new home in “Lion Country” at the park. 

These rescue operations reflect Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s strong commitment to conservation and animal welfare. The WildLife Foundation’s fundraising network has been critical to covering transport costs, rehabilitation, veterinary care, and ensuring safe, humane relocation. 

In context beyond Yorkshire, other animal‑welfare organizations have also been responding to the crisis in Ukraine. For instance, a different UK sanctuary recently accepted five lions rescued from Ukraine, whose conditions ranged from malnourishment to trauma, after a massive fundraising campaign (AP News). 

The story of Oleg, Rafael, and Shanti is not just about relocation — it is a tale of resilience, hope, and the healing power of compassion. Observers hope that over time, Oleg will adapt, overcome his fear of humans, and develop strong bonds with his siblings in a safe and nurturing environment.