The “world’s loneliest lion” has returned to his natural habitat after he was abandoned in a private zoo for five years.
Ruben, the 15-year-old lion trapped in a concrete cell for five years by an owner whose death isolated the animal, has finally been returned to his natural habitat.
Now, Ruben has made a 5,200-mile journey from Armenia to South Africa.
The epic journey was organised by Animals Defenders International (ADI) and Qatar Airways Cargo.
ADI President Jan Creamer said seeing Ruben take his first steps brought them all “to tears.”
Jan Creamer said: “Seeing him walk on grass for the first time, hearing the voices of his own kind, with the African sun on his back, brought us all to tears.”
“Lions are the most sociable of the big cats, living in family prides in the wild,” Creamer explained. “So it must have been devastating for Ruben to have no contact or communication with other lions.”
“Seeing him walk on grass for the first time, hearing the voices of his own kind, with the African sun on his back, brought us all to tears,” Creamer continued.
The amazing journey was aided by Qatar Airways Cargo, which stepped in with its “WeQare” charity initiative.
