A lioness rescued from war torn Ukraine has given birth to three cubs at award-winning Yorkshire Wildlife Park

28 March 2025

Aysa and her war traumatised first set of cubs, Emi, Santa and Teddi now 2, arrived at the park last March after a 2000-mile road trip from a holding facility in Poland.

They had spent nine months separated from each other and without seeing any sunlight or having the stimulation of the outside world.

But almost a year after the lions were reunited in Lion Country, mum Aysa unexpectedly gave birth to three more cubs despite being on contraception.

Her adorable new cubs were born late on Monday and are under 4 year-old Aysa’s careful protection.

YWP Director of Animals Dr Charlotte MacDonald said: “These cubs will have a better start in life than their older siblings did and that's what we want for them.

“It was a very pleasant surprise but one I would rather not have had. People might say; 'why didn't we keep the males separate from the girls if we thought that this might be a risk?' But it's because they are a social species and to isolate Teddi until he was old enough to be vasectomised would have just been awful for him and absolutely would have compromised his welfare.

“You've got to weigh up the balance in terms of the type of contraception and everything that you chose in order to keep these animals together and they had such a rough start in life, this little family. To split them up again would have just been horrendous.

“We now have a bigger family, not a little family anymore, but they are a family, and they will have a home here at Yorkshire Wildlife Park forever. This is their forever home.

“We have absolutely no further intention of breeding any more. They will have a good life here."

Co-founder of YWP, Cheryl Williams MBE, added: “We are looking forward to the summer and sunshine and to them being happy, healthy and strong.

“Eventually moving forward they will be out in Lion Country and I’m sure everyone will embrace them like we do.”

As soon as the three lionesses arrived at the park, they were placed on contraception. But Teddi had to wait to receive his vasectomy until he was fully mature.

His first vasectomy in October was only successful on one side and he had to wait until December for the second procedure.

The Director of Animals added: “Teddi obviously caught Aysa between those times.

“Unfortunately even in humans we understand no contraception is 100% foolproof. Most contraceptives are only 99% guaranteed. So, against all the odds, it would appear that he's managed to catch the 1% that didn't work.

“The keepers were saying for a while they thought she was pregnant, but we would go and have a look, and it was difficult to be sure because she had cubs before and had quite a saggy tummy anyway. Then the movement in her tummy started…’

Bex Brown, Section Head of Carnivores, revealed: “I was definitely shocked to discover the pregnancy but she’s an experienced mum and we monitored her through the labour. Big cats often wait for the evening, but she is quite comfortable here, so she went into labour during the day.

“She is being very attentive. All three look very strong and she doesn’t leave their side. She’s very relaxed and very motherly.

“If one wriggles too far she brings it back and gives it a good clean. She also manoeuvres herself too, so they can all suckle well.

“Kyiv must have been traumatic for them but here it's as nice and comfortable and peaceful as it can be.

“The older siblings are currently separated from the newborn cubs but the future plan is for them to all live together.

“Santa, the biggest female, is definitely aware and would like to get in there and do a bit of mothering herself.

“They are all little fluffballs at the moment with their eyes still closed. We are leaving mum, so we don’t know what sex they are yet.

“But we do know their future in Yorkshire is bright.”

Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which puts conservation and animal welfare at the heart of all its activities, offers visitors a mesmerising walk-through experience coming almost face to face with some of the world’s most beautiful and at-risk species, including Polar Bears, Black Rhinos, Giraffes and African Painted Dogs.

The Yorkshire Wildlife Resort boasts The Hex Wildlife Hotel and The Yorkshire Hive, the shopping, dining and entertainment village.