It’s the news that we have all been waiting for – lonely lion Ruben flies from Armenia to Africa on Tuesday, August 22!

It’s been a big challenge securing a flight from Armenia, as we needed an aircraft with large enough cargo doors for Ruben’s travel crate, and none were available. Thankfully, Qatar Airways’ WeQare charity scheme stepped in, scheduling a wide-bodied aircraft on one of their passenger routes, and have donated space on board for Ruben!

Once he is loaded, Jan and Tim will be traveling in the passenger section, with Ruben in the pressurized, temperature-controlled hold below. Although we prefer being with the animals, we have traveled in this way before, moving monkeys from Sweden, lions and a tiger from Portugal, and Toto the chimpanzee from Chile to Zambia.

Supporters will recall that we used Qatar Airways Cargo on the 34-hour, multi-stop journey from Guatemala to South Africa, so we are confident they will take good care of Ruben.

Ruben’s flight to freedom will take 14 hours, including a change of aircraft in Doha.

The story so far

Lonely Ruben was left behind when a private zoo closed in Armenia and the other animals were relocated. Ruben’s world fell silent, and his plaintive roars have gone unanswered for the past six years. In just 12 days, when he arrives at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa, his silent world will end, and other lions will roar back.

Since ADI funded his removal from the zoo, Ruben has been cared for in a bear sanctuary run by Armenia’s Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife & Cultural Assets (FPWC).

When Jan visited him in January, he was given a health assessment by veterinarians Dr Harut Hovhannisyan in liaison with ADI’s Dr Peter Caldwell. Ruben has some significant health issues with potential neurological and spinal damage – he will need a CT scan in South Africa. He is unsteady on his feet, and we have adapted a habitat at ADIWS for his special needs, with ramps and lower platforms.

Nevertheless, he was declared fit to fly and we hoped to move him in March, but it took months for the import and export permits to be issued.

Our gratitude to everyone who was touched by Ruben’s plight and has stuck with us during this rescue. Delays, outside our control, inevitably increased the costs and this was coupled with a big increase in care costs for Ruben in Armenia. We had raised a target of $20,000 for phase one of the mission in Armenia, but by the time he leaves, this will have cost us over $51,000. However, thanks to our generous supporters, there has never been a point at which we have been under pressure to drop the pursuit of our shared dream for Ruben’s future. We all stood by him. Thank you.

Everything we raise now will go towards Ruben’s lifetime care, which we hope will be many years at ADIWS, but which will certainly involve significant veterinary costs while Dr Caldwell identifies his problems and looks for treatment. Anything extra will go towards the sanctuary’s daily operational costs, such as security, fences, and habitat maintenance.

If you would like to help, please give here.

Just twelve days to go and Ruben will be stepping out into Africa.

Ruben cannot thank you, but we can – so heartfelt thanks.