Rescued circus lions flown to South Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, May 1 (UPI) -- Thirty-three lions rescued from circuses in South America have been airlifted to a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa.

The U.S.-based group Animal Defenders International rescued the animals. They were transferred by land to the Emoya Big Cat Sanctuary, a 12,355-acre reserve in northern Southern Africa, after being flown to Johannesburg.

It was the largest airlift of lions in history, said Jan Creamer, president of Animal Defenders International, which carried out the operation.

"These lion have suffered tremendously,'' Creamer said as the lions were loaded in crates onto trucks.

An MD11F cargo aircraft chartered with Priority Worldwide Services retrieved nine lions from Bogota airport, then flew to Lima to collect 24 more lions, before flying to Johannesburg. The sanctuary in Vaalwater is about 150 miles north of Johannesburg.

The lions were freed after wild animals were banned in circuses in Peru in 2011 and Colombia in 2013.

ADI said 24 of the lions were rescued during surprise raids on Peruvian circuses and nine were "voluntarily surrendered" by a Colombian circus. "Almost all of the rescued lions have been mutilated to remove their claws, one has lost an eye, another is almost blind, and many have smashed and broken teeth so would not survive in the wild," according to ADI.

Their new home will be much different than circus life.

"Their forever homes will have acres of natural bush with watering holes, platforms, trees, vegetation all safely secure behind double electric fencing," according to ADI.

Lovely old, half-blind boy Joseph sleeps on the #SpiritOfFreedomFlight. https://t.co/saoaOdVjMh pic.twitter.com/F9AYzojg0B

— ADI (@AnimalDefenders) April 30, 2016