Update: Our beloved and inspirational Ruben passed away in April 2024. How his lust for life inspired us all: adiwildlifesanctuary.org.za/2...
September 1, 2023: He was the lonely lion that was left behind for six years when a private zoo closed down in Armenia. Then Animal Defenders International brought him home to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa. This is his journey, donated by the Qatar Airways Cargo We Qare programme, and his first steps in the land of his forefathers. Due to a lifetime of poor nutrition, he has spondylitis, an inflammatory disease which can cause bones to fuse, exacerbated by confinement and lack of exercise which has left his legs weak. This causes him difficulty walking and his spine is arched. ADI’s veterinarian had begun treating this and, with more space than he had ever known, his mobility had improv.