Durban — Two years ago, Four Paws embarked on its first rescue mission in South America to save four Bengal tigers and bring them to South Africa.
Known as the #TrainTigers, they had spent their entire lives confined to a cramped train carriage in Argentina, deprived of space, freedom and care.
This week, some of the team who led the rescue effort returned to LionsRock Big Cat Sanctuary, near Bethlehem in the Free State, to see the incredible transformation.
Mafalda, Gustavo, Sandro and Messi have undergone extensive rehabilitation at the sanctuary, in the care of full-time on-site vet Dr Christine Steyrer.
“The tigers are doing well, despite their minor chronic illnesses. When they arrived, we didn’t know anything about them. We were mostly worried for Sandro, since he is also the oldest and does not see well.
“In the beginning he was quite aggressive because he was scared but over time, he improved a lot. Today he enjoys his enclosure and is probably the happiest that he’s ever been.”
These tigers were rescued from a train carriage in San Luis, Argentina. Sandro (born in 2004) and Mafalda (born in 2007) spent 15 years there alongside their 10-year-old sons, Messi and Gustavo, who were born in the same carriage in 2011.
Abandoned by a circus and cared for by the landowner, they lived their lives within the confines of this carriage until their rescue and transfer to LionsRock in March 2022.
The tigers now live in species-appropriate enclosures and Sandro has been moved to the sanctuary’s new Tiger Special Care Unit designed to cater to the needs of the older tigers requiring special attention.
Four Paws vet Dr Amir Khalil, who led the rescue and transfer of the tigers, said: “They were released exactly two years ago.”
“Today we celebrate their transformation from living in that train carriage to having a more species-appropriate living space,” said Reveal Rescue Response international mission co-ordinator Dr Marina Ivanova.
“There are hundreds of animals like lions and tigers in captivity in Argentina and there is no species-appropriate space for them where they can be accommodated permanently.
“This is a huge animal welfare problem in the country and other parts of the world.”
LionsRock sanctuary is one of 11 wild animal sanctuaries established by Four Paws which are home to more than 100 animals, mostly big cats, rescued by Four Paws from war-ravaged zoos, circuses, private ownership, and the canned hunting industry.
The sanctuaries provide a species-appropriate, lifelong home and care for the mistreated big cats. Hunting, trading, breeding of big cats and any interaction between wild animals and humans is strictly prohibited.
Four Paws was founded by Heli Dungler and friends in Vienna in 1988 and provides rapid help and long-term protection for animals, including stray dogs and cats, farm animals and wild animals kept in inappropriate conditions as well as in disaster and conflict zones. Visit four-paws.org.za or lionsrock.org
Independent on Saturday