Thirty Three Former Circus Lions Are Airlifted Back To South African Sanctuary

VAALWATER, SOUTH AFRICA - MAY 01: One of the 33 Lions enjoys his new enclosure at the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary', on May 01, 2016 in Vaalwater, South Africa. A total of 33 former circus Lions, 22 males and 11 females from Peru and Columbia were airlifted to South Africa yesterday, before being released today to live out their lives on the private reserve in the Limpopo Province. 24 of the animals were rescued in raids on circuses operating in Peru, with the rest voluntarily surrendered by a circus in Colombia after Colombias Congress passed a bill prohibiting circuses from using wild animals. The trip has been coordinated by the animal rights group 'Animal Defenders International. The animals have been released into small open areas with natural vegetation, something that many of the animals have never experienced before. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)