In a tale that underscores both the heartlessness of wildlife exploitation and the power of compassion and collective action, two lion siblings, Ysis and Yoda, have finally found their rightful home in the African wilderness of the SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve. Their journey, marked by hardship and hope, is a powerful reminder of why the fight against illegal wildlife trade must continue.
FROM EXPLOITATION TO RESCUE
In 2020, a French music rapper allegedly assigned three accomplices to sell his pet lion cubs after exploiting them as props in music videos and on social media. After an illegal sale fell through, the accomplices abandoned the sibling lion cubs in cat carriers outside an animal park in Aix-en-Provence. Thankfully, the 4-month-old brother and sister duo were rescued by Fondation 30 Millions d'Amis and later entrusted to Tonga Terre d'Accueil. In 2022, the accused accomplices were found guilty of "possession and transportation of non-domestic species without authorisation, and abandonment of animals", yet the rapper faced no legal repercussions.
The brother and sister duo grew up in France in a partner park of Tonga Terre d'Accueil, where they received the care and rehabilitation needed to recover from a traumatic start to life. Despite their safety in captivity, their true home lay far beyond enclosure walls, on the vast African plains where lions belong.
THE ROAR PROJECT
The Roar Project Part 2 is the second relocation mission undertaken by Tonga Terre d'Accueil and the SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve. Last year, the Roar Project successfully relocated two circus lions and four servals to SanWild. Although the passing of Masai last year, the adult male lion from the last relocation, saddened the team, everyone found solace in knowing he had finally experienced life as nature intended. The other lion, Kyara, is thriving, and they are hoping to introduce her to another male rescue lion in the near future. Finally, the four servals were able to be rewilded and have officially been released into the wider reserve - living completely wild, though still monitored by the team.
THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME
Five years after their rescue, a collaborative effort between Tonga Terre d'Accueil and the SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve, funded by Foundation 30 Millions d'Amis and supported by Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, saw wildlife conservationists, veterinarians, and dedicated teams start the complex process of relocating Ysis and Yoda. After months of meticulous planning, medical evaluations, and travel arrangements, the lions embarked on their final journey to SanWild in South Africa, where a 8-hectare semi-wild area awaited them.
STEPPING ON SOUTH AFRICAN SOIL
Ysis and Yoda began the long journey to the motherland on March 3rd. They were sedated, loaded in the truck and left Saint Martin la Plaine for Paris CDG Airport at dawn. After a night flight, the siblings landed at Johannesburg Airport and transferred to SanWild.
Finally, it was the moment that everyone had waited for. Their arrival and release into their holding enclosure marked the culmination of years of effort. As the transport crates were cautiously opened, Ysis and Yoda took their first tentative steps into their new home. Ysis ventured out first, sporting a small abrasion above her eye, which the vet said would heal quickly. Nervous, Ysis headed back into her crate, waiting for Yoda. The pair then lapped the enclosure inquisitively before later napping under a tree, softly easing themselves into the climate change from a winter in France to a summer in South Africa!
The sibling duo spent a few days in the smaller enclosure; this is typical of relocations, allowing them to acclimatise, and the sanctuary staff can monitor how they are adapting. They were also given their first South African meal, which they ate without hesitation, showing enthusiasm for bushmeat!
Satisfied with their settling in, they were released late last week into their bigger, 8-hectare enclosure - their forever home. As victims of wildlife trafficking, Ysis and Yoda are too humanised to be entirely released into the wild; they will, however, live a highly naturalised life in their natural habitat. Their roars now echo through land that was always meant to be theirs, symbolising not just survival but triumph.
CELEBRATING A FEAT
From the grips of animal trafficking to finding sanctuary at Tonga Terre d'Accueil and finally, prowling their ancestral homeland in Africa, Ysis and Yoda's journey is the culmination of hope, determination and combined compassion. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of 30 Millions d'Amis, Tonga Terre d'Accueil, Air France-KLM Martinair Cargo and SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve, this repatriation concludes with two lions experiencing semi-wild living, alongside acting as an awareness campaign, urging public authorities to take stronger action against the commercial trade and private ownership of big cats and other wildlife species.
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Ysis and Yoda’s incredible journey is just one example of the life-changing work carried out by this project. You can be a part of their story by volunteering with us at the SanWild Sanctuary & Reserve. Contact us to learn more!
