Yorkshire Wildlife Park Lion Rescue (Yorkshire Wildlife Park)
- Thread starter OrangePerson
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Dan
Well-Known Member
Thanks Stripes!
I am actually so moved by this story that I sent a Thank You e-mail to the owner of the airline that provided the flight free of charge, getting the pride from Romania to England quickly and safely (instead of a long lorry transport across Europe).
The company is called Jet2.com, the owner is Mr Philip Meeson. This is an e-mail adress that I found at the company´s web site, should anyone else feel inclined to thank him:
pressoffice@jet2.com
I am actually so moved by this story that I sent a Thank You e-mail to the owner of the airline that provided the flight free of charge, getting the pride from Romania to England quickly and safely (instead of a long lorry transport across Europe).
The company is called Jet2.com, the owner is Mr Philip Meeson. This is an e-mail adress that I found at the company´s web site, should anyone else feel inclined to thank him:
pressoffice@jet2.com
jb.lancashire
Active Member
Hi Dan,
Firstly I think that is a great idea of yours to thank the boss of the air line and thank you for posting his email on this site so others can thank him as well.
I have followed this story from the start and made several donatinons to the campaign via the justgiving web site. From what I have read over the months I believe the Romanian Zoo had 18 lions, 13 of them came to England, 3 ( including Anetta, who featured in many of the articles written about the lions in the English newspapers } went to a sanctuary/game reserve in South Africa where they will live an almost natural life ( unfortunately one of these three lions died soon after arriving ) but the other two are going strong and you can read about them on the three links below. The sanctuary is called Drakenstein Lion Park. The two remaining lions out of the 18 are to stay in the Romainian Zoo so they will have a pair of lions a male and female and due to there now being plenty of empty lion cages they can be kept separately ( so no cubs will be born ) while the lion area can undergo renovation. The lion food bill was a great strain on the finances of the zoo and now they have 16 lions less to feed they will be better able to look after the two remaining ones.
Drakenstein Lion Park
Drakenstein Lion Park
Drakenstein Lion Park
karenZOO
Well-Known Member
Great news although they do look in need of a lot of tlc from videos I have seen!
I read somewhere on line (? facebook) that one of them may be pregnant? (possibly Carla ??) Any news anyone or is this just internet rumours?
So are they planning on keeping them in 3 groups or is that just how they have previously been living?
Sorry for all the questions
I read somewhere on line (? facebook) that one of them may be pregnant? (possibly Carla ??) Any news anyone or is this just internet rumours?
So are they planning on keeping them in 3 groups or is that just how they have previously been living?
Sorry for all the questions
I think they hope to try them together but will see how they go.
mhale
Well-Known Member
This TV programme was broadcast tonight and follows the lions' journey from Oradea Zoo to Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
BBC iPlayer - Inside Out Yorkshire and Lincolnshire: 22/02/2010
BBC iPlayer - Inside Out Yorkshire and Lincolnshire: 22/02/2010
Visited on Saturday and could just about make out lions in the end of the house closest to the path. Still loads of work to be done on the outside enclosure which will be viewed from a raised bank which will also allow a better view of the African Plains.
BigCatsRule
New Member
Update about the Lions
Hi there i was at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park yesterday for an interview to become a keeper there. We had a look at the Lions and i must say they looked in great condition alert and inquisitive.
This was worth the effort from everyone concerned as they now have a quality life and the areas where they are going is massive and they will love it. Having listened to the management about the Lions and other animals there it was all positive.
I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed that i can get a chance to work with these beautifull animals. The work has only just started with the animals there is talk of people from the park going over to Romania to educate the keepers over there which i think is a great idea.
So i think the idea of putting them to sleep rather than bring them here is wrong they will have a great life and loads of freedom.
Stephen Tindall
Hi there i was at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park yesterday for an interview to become a keeper there. We had a look at the Lions and i must say they looked in great condition alert and inquisitive.
This was worth the effort from everyone concerned as they now have a quality life and the areas where they are going is massive and they will love it. Having listened to the management about the Lions and other animals there it was all positive.
I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed that i can get a chance to work with these beautifull animals. The work has only just started with the animals there is talk of people from the park going over to Romania to educate the keepers over there which i think is a great idea.
So i think the idea of putting them to sleep rather than bring them here is wrong they will have a great life and loads of freedom.
Stephen Tindall
Did you get the job?
BigCatsRule
New Member
Job
Hi there no i didnt get the job i am gutted it was a very strange experiance there were about 28 people there i was the oldest at 44 the others were 19 - 26.
The rest all had some kind of diploma or certificate for animal husbandry there were 3 vacancies. I was the only one with experiance working with big cats. I think the following went against me my age and the fact i have got kids as it was weekend work which was not a problem to me.
To be honest i thought i had a great chance with my experiance and also i have lifes experiance but no, its ok having diplomas but they dont know if they can do the work.
The whole interview process was very strange they made us get in to teams and slide down some kiddies slides they said it was team building yes we were in teams but all we were doing was putting coloured balls into buckets lol very strange i couldnt see what they got out of that.
Then thay had us design a tiger cage which i thought was just to get ideas for themselves. Good idea as they mentioned they were getting tigers.
So yes i very dissapointed as i would have loved to work with the cats again and the fact that they are on my doorstep there are no others nearby.
They have some big ideas for the future they are getting the big 5 Giraffe next or Rhino they want it to be one of the best in the country so i wish them all the luck in the world sorry im not going to be there to see it happen.
Hi there no i didnt get the job i am gutted it was a very strange experiance there were about 28 people there i was the oldest at 44 the others were 19 - 26.
The rest all had some kind of diploma or certificate for animal husbandry there were 3 vacancies. I was the only one with experiance working with big cats. I think the following went against me my age and the fact i have got kids as it was weekend work which was not a problem to me.
To be honest i thought i had a great chance with my experiance and also i have lifes experiance but no, its ok having diplomas but they dont know if they can do the work.
The whole interview process was very strange they made us get in to teams and slide down some kiddies slides they said it was team building yes we were in teams but all we were doing was putting coloured balls into buckets lol very strange i couldnt see what they got out of that.
Then thay had us design a tiger cage which i thought was just to get ideas for themselves. Good idea as they mentioned they were getting tigers.
So yes i very dissapointed as i would have loved to work with the cats again and the fact that they are on my doorstep there are no others nearby.
They have some big ideas for the future they are getting the big 5 Giraffe next or Rhino they want it to be one of the best in the country so i wish them all the luck in the world sorry im not going to be there to see it happen.
That's a real shame.
I'm looking forward to giraffes & tigers tho!
I'm looking forward to giraffes & tigers tho!
Update from the park via Facebook
Yesterday Danni had an MRI scan – the first time any of us had seen it done with a lion. We were offered the use of a veterinary MRI scanner free of charge by Burgess Diagnostics to have a better look at Dannis back and legs. In Romania his mobility had been very poor, not helped by the cold, wet and lack of proper bedding. He seemed to have improved somewhat since he had been in Yorkshire, which seemed encouraging but we still didn’t know what was behind the problem. Nic Masters from the International Zoo Vet Group came to the Park for the operation and the diagnostics were carried out by Mike Targett, who is the Associate Professor from the Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science and a specialist in neurology. Danny was not really impressed to see Nic again – he knew what was coming when he saw the dart gun again and indignantly pulled out the first dart but was soon fast asleep. Four members of YWP staff carried him on a stretcher to the articulated lorry that contained the scanner where Mike and Nic got to work. The pictures were fascinating – as was the sight of a lion in a scanner. Mike and Nic will be analysing the detailed images of his spine and we will await their report next week. By 9 pm Danni was sitting up – and by this morning he was quite back to his normal self. He won’t be the last of the lions to see a specialist – some of the other lions will be having a visit from the specialist animal dentist soon.
The lion enclosure will not be ready for Easter - despite the contractors best efforts it was impossible to make up the 5 weeks lost because of the snow. We are trying to publicise this as widely as possible so that people aren’t disappointed on arrival. but there will be a special offer of 50% off a return visit, so our Easter guests will be able to come back and see the lions when they are on view.
Yesterday Danni had an MRI scan – the first time any of us had seen it done with a lion. We were offered the use of a veterinary MRI scanner free of charge by Burgess Diagnostics to have a better look at Dannis back and legs. In Romania his mobility had been very poor, not helped by the cold, wet and lack of proper bedding. He seemed to have improved somewhat since he had been in Yorkshire, which seemed encouraging but we still didn’t know what was behind the problem. Nic Masters from the International Zoo Vet Group came to the Park for the operation and the diagnostics were carried out by Mike Targett, who is the Associate Professor from the Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science and a specialist in neurology. Danny was not really impressed to see Nic again – he knew what was coming when he saw the dart gun again and indignantly pulled out the first dart but was soon fast asleep. Four members of YWP staff carried him on a stretcher to the articulated lorry that contained the scanner where Mike and Nic got to work. The pictures were fascinating – as was the sight of a lion in a scanner. Mike and Nic will be analysing the detailed images of his spine and we will await their report next week. By 9 pm Danni was sitting up – and by this morning he was quite back to his normal self. He won’t be the last of the lions to see a specialist – some of the other lions will be having a visit from the specialist animal dentist soon.
The lion enclosure will not be ready for Easter - despite the contractors best efforts it was impossible to make up the 5 weeks lost because of the snow. We are trying to publicise this as widely as possible so that people aren’t disappointed on arrival. but there will be a special offer of 50% off a return visit, so our Easter guests will be able to come back and see the lions when they are on view.
Gentle Giant
Well-Known Member
Thirteen lions rescued from Romania have "vastly improved" since arriving in South Yorkshire five weeks ago, according to the vet who is caring for them.
Rescue Lions Are Pride Of Yorkshire: Sick Beasts Sent From Romanian Zoo To Yorkshire Wildlife Park | UK News | Sky News
Rescue Lions Are Pride Of Yorkshire: Sick Beasts Sent From Romanian Zoo To Yorkshire Wildlife Park | UK News | Sky News
Latest Update
Danni has now been diagnosed with a condition called Wobblers Syndrome.
Building work on the exibit is progressing well and it's expected that they will have them on show by the end of May.
Lions release moves closer - Doncaster Today
Danni has now been diagnosed with a condition called Wobblers Syndrome.
Building work on the exibit is progressing well and it's expected that they will have them on show by the end of May.
Lions release moves closer - Doncaster Today
The lions are to be released into the outdoor exibit for the first time on Monday 24th May. 
Be interesting to see how they react to the new enviroment and if the keepers will ever get them back in the house again!
Lions set to meet their public for the first time - The Star
Be interesting to see how they react to the new enviroment and if the keepers will ever get them back in the house again!
Lions set to meet their public for the first time - The Star
We went today and the first four of the lions have gone outside. Alis, Cezar, Adel and Ares went out yesterday. The young ones dashed out first followed by the parents. Everything was a surprise - logs, stones...
They refused to come in and stayed out last night. They were enjoying the sun today and seemed very relaxed, no pacing at all. They do lack fitness. Cezar looked very tired tonight when he and the two boys went in. Alis was still out when we left.
They refused to come in and stayed out last night. They were enjoying the sun today and seemed very relaxed, no pacing at all. They do lack fitness. Cezar looked very tired tonight when he and the two boys went in. Alis was still out when we left.
lechweoryx
Well-Known Member
Great news! Hopefully going during half term.
Do they seem to be bothered by visitors?
Do they seem to be bothered by visitors?
There were not that many of us round where they were because it was a special preview but they weren't the least bit bothered - they sat looking across but then they just laid out and went to sleep.
I thought they probably had relatively close encounters with visitors where they came from and no one will get anywhere near that close to them again. The three males totally ignored us standing by the fence when they were going in at tea time.
My friend has put a movie here
The guanaco were really worried when they spotted one, lots of noise and a row of very alert looking faces with ears pricked right up.
I tried to take you a picture of ALL the lechwe but the poor male was being harrassed by the addax so kept being chased off
I thought they probably had relatively close encounters with visitors where they came from and no one will get anywhere near that close to them again. The three males totally ignored us standing by the fence when they were going in at tea time.
My friend has put a movie here
The guanaco were really worried when they spotted one, lots of noise and a row of very alert looking faces with ears pricked right up.
I tried to take you a picture of ALL the lechwe but the poor male was being harrassed by the addax so kept being chased off
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