The Sarnia and Marina story

These two delightful lion cubs were rescued from Romania where they had been left on the doorstep of a vet at Christmas 2007. The Romanian vet contacted the Born Free Foundation and, following an appeal by the Sunday Mirror, a very generous benefactor, who wishes to remain anonymous, came forward and guaranteed their life-time care.
Born Free decided the cubs would go to their Shamwari Reserve in South Africa. The cubs had to be quarantined before starting their journey to South Africa and they were brought to Guernsey by John Knight, local Guernsey vet and veterinary consultant to the Born Free Foundation. Their benefactor flew them to Guernsey in his private plane. The cubs were taken to the Guernsey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) and were cared for by John Knight and Jayne Le Cras who runs the GSPCA.The Committee Members of Friends of Wildlife were privileged to be allowed to see the cubs during their stay in Guernsey and amazingly going into the cage with them.

The cubs spent several months in Guernsey before beginning their long journey to South Africa accompanied by Jayne Le Cras and Jan Wright, another local vet. At the same time John Knight was making arrangements to take another rescued lion, Brutus, to Shamwari, they all met up and travelled together. Everyone was sad to leave the cubs in South Africa but none more so than Jayne, who had looked after them, played with them and loved them for the months they were in Guernsey.

Although this story has a happy ending there are many, many other captive wild animals just waiting to be rescued.

The bottom picture taken by Glen Vena/BFF/Shamwari shows how big the cubs have grown.

Keep up to date with the cubs story on the Born Free website www.bornfree.org.uk then Big Cats – Sarnia and Marina are in the Jean Byrd Centre.