Trafficked into Israel and moved through numerous locations and even apartments, this lucky young fella has social media to thank for his rescue.
Clips of the cub began to appear on TikTok and it was not long before the local authorities were able to locate him and safely transfer him into the custody and care of the Nature & Parks Authority of Israel.
According to the Jerusalem Post, detectives and inspectors alerted to the cub via various clips doing the rounds on TikTok, found the illegally-held lion cub in an apartment in the center of Israel on Wednesday.
Given the name Zion-Neev by his current carers and those who assisted in his rescue, both names hold special meaning including courage, kindness, and hope for peace amongst humans and wildlife.
While Zion-Neev is being held at this place of safety, the indomitable team at Wildlife Warriors is working feverishly behind the scenes to insure that he will live out the rest of his life in their sanctuary Simbonga Game Reserve & Sanctuary situated in the Thornhill area of the Eastern Cape.
Wildlife Warriors took to social media to thank Free the Wild for their “ongoing support and for funding this rescue”. They also thanked the Israel Nature & Parks Authority for covering the costs of Zion-Neev’s flight to South Africa.
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Simbonga Game Reserve and Sanctuary is located 20 km outside the coastal town of Jeffrey's Bay. Accommodation is provided in luxury structure tents that are equipped for self-catering. Each tent is furnished with double and/or single beds. All tents feature braai facilities and en-suite bathrooms. Guided-only Sanctuary tours are done daily at designated times where you can “meet” the residents and hear their stories. ( NO interaction permitted with the animals) A hiking trail was recently opened on the reserve.
