The family of lions brought from war-torn Ukraine to safety in Britain are doing amazingly well, their keeper says.
Colin Northcott, in charge of the big beasts at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, says mum Aysa is now ready to be reintroduced to her cubs Santa, Teddi and Emi.
Colin, 59, said: “The speed of how they have settled in has been incredible. I thought it would take many weeks, not days.”
Pregnant Aysa was first moved from a private zoo in Donetsk, Ukraine, to the country’s capital Kyiv. She gave birth to the cubs there, and the family were then moved to Poznan in Poland.
But in cramped conditions there, Aysa hit out at a cub and the decision was made to separate them. She seems more relaxed now and Colin said: “It’s amazing considering what they were like in Poland.”
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He said the first step to getting mum and cubs together would be to slide out the cage wall separating them, but leaving a protective mesh.
Colin Northcott, in charge of the big beasts at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, says mum Aysa is now ready to be reintroduced to her cubs (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)Colin explained: “It will still be dictated by them and we will do the mesh-meet this week.” The Yorkshire park’s Deputy Head of Carnivores, Colin went all the way to Poland to get the lions.
He said of Aysa: “She’s certainly much more vocal. She’s chatting to her kids as well. They definitely know me now too. The trip to Poland gained that little bit of trust. She keeps calling me and then when I go up to see her, she’ll head-rub the bars. I think she recognises I’m someone safe.”
Speaking of the cubs, he added: “They can sense they are safe. They are watching the world go by with contentment.”
Colin, who has been a zookeeper for 40 years, said it was always heartwarming to bring animals in to the park, whether for breeding or conservation reasons.
But he said it was a different feeling altogether to rescue animals from the risk of bombs in a war zone. Colin said: “I genuinely feel privileged to have been involved.”
Colin Northcott at the Zoo in Poland (Andy Commins / Daily Mirror)The Mirror joined Colin in Poland last week, when he told us about his amazing career. He said high points included taking Princes Harry and William around Windsor Safari Park, and meeting David Attenborough.
There have been some brushes with danger too, including when a lion woke up too soon after dental surgery. Another time, a lion jumped in the back of his 4x4, and took a swipe at his head. He has also survived being trapped in a cage with a lion, and being set on fire during a wallaby’s cremation.
Colin added: “They were close calls. Health and safety is much better these days – to everyone’s relief.”
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