This morning BenTzur and Ori were released into their habitat at the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary.

Their journey home began on August 2 and took them from Israel, via Cairo and Frankfurt, arriving in Johannesburg on August 4 and on to the Sanctuary, where they were unloaded and released into their night house. Watch our live videos and updates from here.

Watch as BenTzur and Ori check and explore their new habitat:

The young lions were stolen from their mother as babies and illegally trafficked into Israel. Ori was found in a basement and BenTzur tied to a tree in a yard. Thankfully, they were seized by Israel’s Nature & Parks Authority (NPA) cracking down on the illegal wildlife trade.

Help support the cost of this rescue and the boys’ lifetime care at the Sanctuary: Donate US $, CA $ | Donate UK £, Euros, Rand