After a week in hospital under observation with Dr Peter Caldwell, Sasha is back at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary and in a lively mood.

After giving our team a scare when she lost her appetite, became quiet and inactive, she quickly bounced back in hospital, eagerly eating her food, and blood tests were good, no problems. Clearly, she enjoyed her hospital hotel stay!

Sasha is a remarkable lioness, she endured years in a tiny circus cage in Guatemala, has age-related degenerative retinal disease with a loss of peripheral vision, as well as a titanium implant in her leg after cancerous bone was removed – but none of that stopped her bouncing around her feeding camp on return to the Sanctuary, smashing down the hay bales around her den.

It’s the first month of winter in South Africa and our team add extra insulation to the houses and pile hay bales around dens to keep the lions and tigers warm. One or two, especially Sasha, rejoice in pulling these down and spreading them around. A fun-filled cycle of the humans stacking up the hay bales and the residents tearing them down, continues all winter. Today, Sasha not only pulled down the bales around the den, but then carried them into her house – and you know how heavy a hay bale is. We think she’s feeling better!