Lions Tanya and Tarzan stole people’s hearts all over the world with their incredible devotion to each other and displays of affection and her passing due to cancer has left us heartbroken. Together they saw each other through the worst of times in a circus in Guatemala and the best of times together in the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS), South Africa.

Seven years ago, Tanya and her beloved Tarzan were rescued from a circus during ADI’s Operation Liberty, when, with Guatemalan officials, we seized all the wild animals from circuses following the Government of Guatemala’s animal circus ban. We found them in a tiny, bare cage on the back of a truck the size of a queen bed. Tanya and Tarzan’s circus existence was brutal – a lifetime of people hitting, shouting, screaming, being pushed in and out of tiny cages, and performances. No respite. Nothing of interest to engage these highly intelligent, emotional beings. No veterinary care. Malnourished, with food so poor it could barely sustain life.

Nevertheless, Tanya was always brave, a ferocious protector and defender of her beloved Tarzan. In a foolish and ignorant move, the circus allowed a full-grown male tiger into the same space as full-grown Tarzan. The tiger attacked and Tarzan fought for his life. Tanya fought to defend her Tarzan and came out of the fight with her ear torn and covered in scars. In the bloody encounter, Tarzan’s bottom lip was torn from his face and healed hanging from his chin.

When they arrived at the ADI Temporary Rescue Unit (TRU) in Guatemala following removal from the circus, feisty Sasha threw herself between Tarzan and faced off with lioness Sasha (from another circus) through the fence. Following 18 months in ADI’s TRU, we flew 17 lions and tigers, including Tarzan and Tanya to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary (ADIWS) in South Africa, in January 2020. It was one of our most complex journeys via Mexico, Belgium and Qatar with Tarzan and Tanya sharing a pallet so they could see each other.

Home in Africa, the pair loved life in the 4-acre Augie Habitat at ADIWS, playing with toys, sitting in shade of the little woodland, watching the world go by form their different platforms, roaring of the news with the neighbours, and – most enjoyable – taking their time to walk ever-so-slowly when called in for their food or treats with supplements/meds. They had quickly noticed the human carers are not allowed to move on until they had their meds and food.

Dr Caldwell performed a lip lift on Tarzan, re-attaching his lip as much as was possible. Tanya joined him in hospital to keep him company and the video of her nuzzling his face when they returned to ADIWS together was very special.

They would sleep holding each other and give each other great big, wet kisses. Tanya remained just as feisty and protective of Tarzan and would become known in our lives from the ADIWS for grumbling and growling if she felt the camera was getting a bit too close to Tarzan! In recent weeks she watched over and nursed Tarzan when he struggled with osteoarthritis and then Tarzan did the same for her when she got sick.

Thank you to everyone who made their life at ADIWS possible.

Their love and loyalty will forever be an inspiration to us all. We will miss you, Tanya.