Ben Madilynn
Most likely, Yuna and Atlas were kept in captivity for illegal breeding. Their former owner informed the volunteers that Atlas had become too aggressive and dominant over Yuna, and the lions could no longer be kept in their care due to the heavy shelling the Kyiv region experienced.
Yuna and Atlas were evacuated to Wild Animal Rescue on 20 February 2023 and were separated from each other. Yuna had wounds due to her long stay on the cold concrete, and she suffered due to being overweight and having an unbalanced diet—she couldn’t even stand up.
After some time, Yuna was able to stand and walk around her new enclosure—and her weight decreased—but she still suffered from fear and stress. It didn’t help that on 2 January 2024, during a missile attack, debris fell near her enclosure. Yuna suffered a concussion due to acoustic trauma, which caused her to lose coordination. Fortunately, she recovered over the subsequent weeks and was moved indoors.
As of March 2024, Yuna exhibits fewer signs of stress and even shows interest in socialising with other lions. Her progress in recovery means that she can now be evacuated from Ukraine and find her forever home. Natalia believes it would be best for her to join a group of fellow big cats. After the trauma she has suffered, Yuna gets a chance for a brighter future >>
