Four years ago, Animal Defenders International went to several countries to persuade officials to ban using animals in circus acts.
One of the reasons the countries approved those bans was because of the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg.
“The only way this happens is if the government believes there is a solution in the end,” said Pat Craig, the sanctuary founder.
Now the sanctuary hopes to rescue 30 lions — 21 from Peru and nine from Columbia — but Craig said it needs help.
The cost to care for each lion comes to about $8,000 per year, Craig said. With 30 new additions, the sanctuary needs another $250,000 per year.
The sanctuary isn’t in any financial trouble, but the lions will bring the total to about 400 rescued animals, most of them big cats, bears and wolves.
The strain of building habitats for the lions as well as the rescue and the upcoming cost of their care is starting to show, Craig said.
The airlift, the biggest of its kind in history, is scheduled for the first week in April, though the exact day hasn’t been determined, Craig said.
The lions will most likely be in bad shape.
Most will need dental work and will probably be skinny.
In another lion rescue, in 2011 from Bolivia, many had never touched grass before. Craig expects the coming lions to be in similar condition.
