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A heartfelt appeal is being shared locally in the Hawkesbury to help fund the urgent relocation of two rescued lion cubs, Ben-Tzur and Ori, from Israel to their new lifelong home at Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. The sanctuary is working closely with international authorities following the cubs’ rescue from the illegal wildlife trade in Israel.
The two nine-month-old cubs were rescued earlier this year during coordinated investigations by Israeli authorities into organised wildlife trafficking syndicates. Ben-Tzur and Ori were among six lion cubs discovered during the investigations, all of which were being kept illegally in cruel and inappropriate conditions.
Following months of preparation, both cubs are now ready to be relocated after a complex international rescue effort, with the fundraising appeal originally planned for the end of January 2026. However, the relocation permits were approved far sooner than expected, dramatically accelerating the timeline and creating an urgent need to raise the significant funds required for their safe and lawful transfer under strict international regulations.
As a result, Panthera Africa must now urgently raise the funds required to transport the cubs safely to South Africa and is appealing to the public to help fund the costly relocation and secure a safe, lifelong home for the cubs through its Gift Them A Home campaign.
Ben-Tzur was discovered tied to a tree in an open field near Jerusalem. Veterinary assessments found him to be highly stressed, in poor physical condition, and severely habituated to humans, initially refusing to eat unless people were present.
Ori was confiscated by Israeli Police and transferred to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA). He was found to be extremely underweight, developmentally delayed, and suffering from a leg fracture caused by improper handling and inadequate nutrition. While the fracture has since healed under expert veterinary care, the long-term effects of early trauma and malnutrition remain uncertain. Ori was named in honour of an Israeli soldier killed in the Middle East war.
After completing a legally mandated quarantine period at a zoo in Israel, the cubs have formed a strong bond as preparations for their relocation continue.
Time is critical, according to Panthera Africa. As the cubs grow, travel crates must increase in size, transport costs rise, and the relocation process becomes more complex. If the cubs grow too large before travel, sedation may be required to move them safely into crates - something the sanctuary hopes to avoid unless absolutely necessary.
Authorities believe the cubs were smuggled into Israel using agricultural drones capable of carrying loads of up to 70 kilograms across borders from neighbouring countries.
Wildlife trafficking is considered the third-largest illegal trade in the world after drugs and weapons. Big cats are among the most heavily trafficked species, with cubs often taken from their mothers at a very young age and sold into captivity, where survival rates are low
“Because these cubs were raised in captivity, they can never be returned to the wild,” said Adva Olga Peretez, Wildlife Possession and Trade Ranger at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority. “Our responsibility now is to secure the best possible future for them in the closest environment to nature.”
“At Panthera Africa, these cubs will receive lifelong specialist care in a protected, natural environment and will never be abused, traded or exploited again,” said Cathrine S. Nyquist, co-founder of Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary. “They will be safe, protected and given the best possible life after surviving the worst of the wildlife trade.”
Lizaene Cornwall, co-founder of Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary, added: “In some parts of the world, owning rare wildlife like lions is seen as a status symbol. Lions are also targeted far beyond the illegal pet trade, trafficked and killed for their body parts and bones, which are used as substitutes for tiger bone in some Asian markets. Demand fuels this trade, and the internet has made it easier for traffickers to move animals quickly and quietly across borders. Cubs are often taken from their mothers while still dependent, then sold into lives of suffering and exploitation.”
The relocation highlights the importance of international cooperation in tackling wildlife trafficking and securing long-term solutions for animals that cannot be returned to the wild.
Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary is based in Stanford, Western Cape, South Africa, and is dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and providing lifelong care to big cats that have been abused, trafficked, or displaced. The sanctuary focuses on protecting big cats from the illegal wildlife trade and provides them with a safe, natural environment where they can live out their lives free from exploitation. It also runs campaigns like Gift Them A Home to raise funds for urgent rescues and relocations.
Members of the public are encouraged to support the Gift Them A Home campaign and help bring Ben-Tzur and Ori safely to South Africa.
Donate to the campaign:
- Panthera Africa website: https://pantheraafrica.com/donate/?form=FUNYFCNHGLQ
- BackaBuddy: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/gift-them-a-home
- Sharing their story helps bring them home. Please include: #pantheraafricabigcatsanctuary #inunitythereisstrength #giftthemahome #GTH #showyoucareandshare
You can also sign up for a free subscription to the Panthera Africa newsletter for updates on this campaign and more: https://shorturl.at/7YDlv
Past volunteer Dannii Warner, who has been a lifelong resident of the Hawkesbury, has a huge love for the Panthera Africa project. She’s helping to share this story and the Gift Them A Home campaign to help spread awareness about the vital work Panthera Africa does, and to support the fundraising needed to bring two lion cubs to South Africa.
For all media queries, please contact:
Lizaene CornwallCo-Founder, Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary+27 84 866 2665pantheraafrica@gmail.com
