TWO MORE LIONS SAVED IN OPERATION SPIRIT OF FREEDOM. These days Simba and Rey are seniors at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa (first pic). However, ten years ago today was the day that transformed their lives forever!

We had gone straight from the first rescue to Ayacucho in the Peruvian Andes, grabbed a little sleep, then met officials and police before rolling into the circus.

We were hopelessly outnumbered, eventually surrounded by about 60 circus people and their supporters making loading the lions near impossible. As we coaxed one into our cage, the owner would bang the circus cage and Simba and Rey would scuttle back frightened. It is incredibly hard to coax a wild animal to do anything when they are in the presence of someone they are terrified of. Later we would beg for more police support and for crowds to be held back because the seizures were getting dangerous.

It took 19 hours to drive back to Lima travelling through rain, sleet and snow over 13,000ft up in the Andes mountains. Simba and Rey cuddled up together and fluffed up their manes to keep warm. During the night we stopped at a little row of houses in the mountains for gas – they came out with a can and a funnel. The village kids heard Simba and Rey roar and were excited. They watched from the end of the truck as the lions looked out and Alexis gave a talk about how and why the lions had been saved. We wonder if they remember the night the lions passed through.

It was Jan’s birthday on the epic journey and when we arrived at the TRU, there was a vegan chocolate cake. A nice way to mark two more lions saved.

Please consider adopting seniors Simba and Rey to support their ongoing care: UK £ | US $