The Big Cat Sanctuary has successfully rescued Ursa, a young female Eurasian lynx, from war-torn Ukraine and brought her safely to the UK. After spending three years confined in a converted horse stable, Ursa has now experienced her first taste of freedom in a temporary outdoor habitat at the Sanctuary. The rescue mission, led by managing director Cam Whitnall and Crossborder Animal Services, also involved relocating Mir, an Amur tiger from Ukraine, who is now quarantined in Belgium before moving to a South African sanctuary.

Thanks to overwhelming public support and a generous £50,000 donation from Premier Coatings, fundraising exceeded £134,000, enabling the Sanctuary to upgrade Ursa’s permanent home to a state-of-the-art enclosure with innovative features. Born in 2023 and rescued from illegal captivity, Ursa suffered severe malnutrition and cannot survive in the wild. The Sanctuary is committed to her lifelong care, providing specialist nutrition and veterinary support, with her new habitat set to open to the public in late spring during Big Cat Fest.