DENVER (KDVR) — Lions and tigers landed at Denver International Airport after rescuers brought them from a shuttered zoo in Argentina, and they will share space with the animals rescued from Tiger King.
DIA posted a video showing a LATAM cargo plane touchdown and a horse trailer transporting the big cats to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado. An international animal-welfare organization called Four Paws oversaw the transfer of 62 big cats and two brown bears. The Argentinian government shut down a zoo outside Buenos Aires over safety and welfare concerns in 2020.
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Fifteen tigers and lions will be in Colorado. DIA said the sanctuary sits on over 40,000 acres and is home to over 1,000 animals. Dozens of other big cats stayed in Argentina after the local government stepped up, and dozens more left for a sanctuary in South Africa.
“Precious cargo indeed! Thank you so much to the entire team at Denver International Airport for your incredible, professional work in helping get these rescued lions and tigers safely into Colorado and on their way to their new home at The Wild Animal Sanctuary,” the sanctuary commented on DIA’s post on X. “This is truly a chain of compassion, every single person who was part of this massive operation made a vital contribution to give these precious souls the safe, peaceful forever home they deserve. We couldn’t do this without amazing partners like you! Thank you DEN.”
A long journey comes to an end
The lions and tigers stopped in Chile before arriving at DIA…