'We risked our lives driving into Ukraine warzone to save a lion – this is what happened'

Sitting in the Kent sunshine with the grass beneath her paws, African lion Yuna is a picture of contentment. It’s hard to imagine the three-year-old big cat in her former hellish life – caged in a 3m by 4m concrete enclosure in Kyiv, Ukraine, terrified by the blasts of falling shrapnel and wailing air-raid sirens, and facing a future of illegal breeding.

But this was Yuna’s miserable existence until she was rescued by the brave team at Big Cat Sanctuary (BCS) in Ashford 18 months ago. The globally-renowned centre, run by managing director Cam Whitnall and his team, is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming wild cats… even if that means driving a van into a war zone to reach them. Watching Yuna stretched out peacefully in the open air more than justifies the dangerous operation, believes Cam.

“She didn’t even know what rain was,” he smiles sadly. “[After arriving], she would just sit outside in the rain – cats aren’t supposed to like it! It was a beautiful moment to be able to provide just the basics of what a lion would experience.”

Big Cats in Crisis in Ukraine

Sadly, Yuna’s experience is all too common. The illegal wildlife trade is now the world’s fourth-largest trafficking industry – behind arms, drugs and humans – and worth an estimated £15billion a year. Organised criminal networks, some of whom work under the guise of legal breeding programmes, are responsible for much of the cruel transactions but private ownership has also created a crisis.

In Yuna’s case, her former owner abandoned her some time after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Military volunteers discovered her living in squalid conditions inside a house with a young male lion in February 2023. Both were evacuated to Wild Animals Rescue (WAR) in Kyiv, run by Natalia Popova, where they began recuperation.

But during a large-scale Russian missile attack several months later, debris fell just 300m from Yuna’s enclosure, leaving her with concussion and a loss of co-ordination. She began cowering in a corner of her enclosure and showed signs of severe stress. It was obvious she needed to be rescued from Ukraine. Luckily, Cam and the BCS answered the call for help. Following weeks of fundraising and planning, Yuna and three-year-old male Rori, also suffering from serious co-ordination disorders, embarked on a 1,400-mile, four-day journey to the UK.

“We heard air raid sirens going off while we were there,” says Cam. “The good thing about our rescue is that it’s put the spotlight on Ukraine again. Off the back of ours, Natalia has rescued another 12 cats.”

Yuna has since made huge progress in rebuilding the muscle strength and mobility she lost during her confinement.

By March 2025, the BCS had rescued three more lions from Ukraine – sisters Amani and Lira, and Vanda.

Ursa's rescue

All five now live in the sanctuary’s Lion Rescue Centre thanks to the generosity of donors who raised £500,000 in an online fundraising campaign. Rori has Feline Herpesvirus (FHV-1) which causes cat flu, so he cannot breed with the female lions, but Cam says he does hope to introduce the two sexes in future.

Cam's most recent rescue was Ursa, a young Eurasian lynx who was kept illegally in Ukraine. Vet exams revealed severe malnutrition and intestinal infections, leaving her significantly underdeveloped for her age and unable to ever survive in the wild.

So after raising over £134,000 in record time, Cam and Crossborder Animal Services last month set off for Kyiv once again. They rescued Ursa, and Mir, an Amur tiger, safely transporting him to an animal shelter in Belgium for onward travel.

While the BCS’s rescue missions have shone a light on the atrocities of the illegal pet trade and the suffering of animals during war, the sanctuary is also part of another fight – one much closer to home.

Taking on the UK's 'Tiger King'

In January last year, wild cat sanctuary owner Terrence Moore, 78, was convicted of four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals by failing to seek proper and necessary veterinary care. The owner of the Cat Survival Trust, dubbed “Britain’s Tiger King” – a nod to US convicted zookeeper Joe Exotic who featured in a 2020 Netflix documentary – often used a homoeopathic product to treat some of his animals.

The BCS and its sister charity, Hertfordshire Zoo, set about rescuing 28 of Moore’s animals, including an Amur leopard – considered to be the world’s most endangered big cat – a fishing cat called Boson, a bobcat called Blob, an Eurasian lynx called Rhys and Frank, the UK’s only Asian golden cat.

Animal rescue centres in England are currently unregulated, relying on voluntary codes rather than mandatory statutory licensing. Unlike boarding kennels or catteries – governed by animal welfare regulations – there is no legal requirement for a rescue centre to hold a license to operate.

Cam is now calling on local councils to hold regular inspections of sites in their area, while a number of MPs have demanded the Government introduce mandatory licensing to ensure rescue centres operate transparently and uphold high welfare standards. In January, Irene Campbell, Labour MP for North Ayrshire and Arran, said England was falling behind other parts of the UK. Scotland introduced a licensing system for dog and cat rescue centres in 2021, while Wales has had a code of practice since 2020 and, as of 2025, has committed to prioritising licensing legislation.

“Under the current laws, anyone can set up a rescue – I think we would all agree that is not acceptable,” Ms Campbell said. “The fact that there are no standards or training can lead to the illegal import of animals, the outbreak of disease and poor hygiene standards. Without regulation, those dangerous practices will only continue.”

Moore, meanwhile, was sentenced to a minimum five-year disqualification order last year and banned from keeping animals during this period. He was also ordered to pay £14,380 in fines and costs. Officers also seized 26 carcasses from his freezers that were used to store animals for long periods, instead of being dispatched for cremation.

“Terrence Moore knew how endangered these species were, understood their vulnerability to exploitation and should have been there to protect them,” said Det Con Beth Talbot. “I am pleased the vast majority of the remaining animals will now be able to find a new forever home thanks to Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary.”

Future-proofing at the BCS

As for the BSC, there are big plans for its future. Construction is underway on the Premier Coatings Small Cat Rescue Centre, a modern, purpose-built habitat that will become the forever home for Ursa and other future rescues. The Lion Rescue Centre has also been designed to accommodate a tiger, if needed, and extra land has been primed for further expansion.

Unlike traditional zoos, the site is not generally open to the public. Public access is limited to exclusive,pre-booked events, including Member Days and premium overnight safari lodge stays.

But following unprecedented demand for its 2025 Open Days, this summer the BCS will run a “Big Cat Fest”, encompassing 10 days of entertainment, conservation education and wildlife experiences in July and August.

Having witnessed the past suffering of his lions and wild cats, Cam is determined to create a stable and happy future for them.

“The standard has to be that we are the best in the world for cats and conservation,” he says. “We’re one year into that project. Within three years, hopefully, we’ll be a lot closer. In five years, we should be there.”