### Lion Cub Sara Rescued from Beirut Finds New Home in South African Sanctuary

When Sara first arrived at her rescuers' home, she was a pitiable sight—sick, exhausted, and covered in ringworms with clear signs of abuse on her small, furry body. This four-and-a-half-month-old lion cub's journey to recovery began in a modest Beirut apartment, where she spent two months under the care of an animal rights group. Her saga took a dramatic turn when she was finally flown to a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa, following a long journey that included evading Israeli airstrikes and escaping abusive owners.

Sara is the fifth lion cub to be evacuated from Lebanon by the local rescue group Animals Lebanon since the outbreak of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. This conflict escalated following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas in southern Israel. She was first discovered by Animals Lebanon on social media in July. Her owner, a man from Baalbek, had been parading her for attention on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, despite Lebanese laws prohibiting the ownership of wild and exotic animals.

"She was really just being used as a showpiece," said Jason Mier, executive director of Animals Lebanon. The group managed to retrieve Sara in mid-September after filing a case with the police, who subsequently forced the owner to surrender the cub. Shortly after, Baalbek faced heavy bombardment due to escalating conflicts, but Sara was safely relocated to an apartment in Beirut’s commercial Hamra district just in time.

The original plan was to fly Sara to South Africa in October, but the escalation of airstrikes led international airlines to halt flights to Lebanon. On Oct. 8, Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel, supporting its ally Hamas, which triggered a rapid escalation and wider spread of airstrikes by Israeli forces.

Before this conflict intensified, Animals Lebanon's efforts primarily focused on halting animal trafficking and the exotic pet trade, having saved over two dozen big cats from captivity. Since the war began, the organization has also rescued nearly 1,000 pets trapped in damaged apartments as wave upon wave of Lebanese civilians fled from the conflict zones.

With the escalating danger, moving around the country became increasingly difficult for the rescue team. While Sara remained blissfully unaware of the war surrounding her, she thrived under the care of her rescuers, gaining weight from her daily raw meat diet and forming a close bond with Mier’s wife, Maggie.

The challenge of how to safely evacuate Sara from Lebanon loomed large. Utilizing donations from global supporters, Animals Lebanon orchestrated a complex route: first sailing Sara to Cyprus on a yacht, then flying her to the United Arab Emirates, before her journey finally ended in Cape Town.

On the dawn of her departure, Sara played innocently in a Beirut apartment, unaware of the monumental effort behind her relocation. Mier and his team escorted her to the port of Dbayeh with mixed emotions—relief at her departure and sorrow at saying goodbye.

Sara will undergo monitoring and disease-control protocols at her new home, where she is expected to integrate with two other lions recently rescued from Lebanon. "She’ll form a trio with the others. That’s where she’ll live out the rest of her life," said Mier. "It’s the best option for her."