Our work
THE LIONS FOUNDATION (TLF)
Since the start, The Lions Foundation has given shelter to dozens of big cats. Many of these were rescued from circuses, private possession and zoos by Stichting Leeuw in the Netherlands and were rehabilitated and relocated to TLF to their forever home. These cats can, unfortunately, not be released back to the wild. They have not learnt to hunt, some of them were bottle-fed, declawed and/or defanged. They simply would not be able to fend for themselves in the wild. At TLF they live on 1.5 hectares of savannah land and are well taken care of.
South Africa has rich biological diversity. However, sadly increasingly, humans are influencing the lives of many beautiful animals. Big cats are turned into breeding machines, used as entertainment, or discarded by animal parks. Donkeys are being abused or left to die. Monkeys are exploited, injured, or taken from their mothers. Rhinos are poached, orphaning their young. The list goes on and on. TLF is trying its best to get those animals out of the miserable conditions they are living in.
At the sanctuary you will find lions and tigers in big enclosures and donkeys roaming free in a very large enclosure. On the reserve, there are many native animal species to monitor and indigenous flora to be maintained.
Wherever possible we try to provide the rescued animals within our care an environment as close to ‘nature’ as possible. Our overall objective will always be to rehabilitate and to give the best care. Unfortunately for the big cats at the sanctuary, they will not be able to be released in the wild as they will not be able to fend for themselves.
The Lions Foundation is the perfect place for volunteering with big cats. We require a team of dedicated volunteers throughout the year. With us, you will have the amazing opportunity to volunteer in South Africa working with animals and helping us to care for a wide variety of wildlife.
The sanctuary always needs help from animal lovers and wildlife enthusiasts whether in the form of volunteer work, donations, or professional help such as veterinary experience. Although difficult at times, the volunteer work at TLF is highly rewarding.
We take our rescue and shelter work very seriously. Please be aware the TLF is strictly hands off. Volunteers will have little physical interaction with animals but will provide the essential daily and long-term needs of the animals, such as feeding, cleaning enclosures, and providing stimulation in the form of behavioural and environmental enrichments. Only our donkeys need physical attention in the form of brushing and checking them.
In 2023 Schrikkloof acquired a derelict predator zoo, bordering on the Schrikkloof Reserve. Here, native predators were showcased and also bred for hunting or illegal purposes. We saved this park and its animals, and are turning it into a Rescue & Conservation Centre. Volunteers will stay at the accommodation at this facility – just imagine sleeping close to leopard, caracal, serval, wild dog, hyena, black-footed cat, mongoose and many more South African species. In addition to their work at The Lions Foundation, volunteers will also work and care for the animals at The Lions Foundation Rescue & Conservation Centre. It would be great if you could contribute to this important rescue work.
The big cats
If you wish to interact ethically with big cats, learn more about them and the problems they face, and be a part of the solution, TLF is the place to come to and volunteer. TLF is an NSPCA-accredited sanctuary.
The savannah land of our nature reserve gives our rescued big cats the chance to roam around in near natural surroundings. We have enclosed large pieces of land to make these bushlands their home. Our big cat enclosures are 1.5 hectares with natural bushes and trees. We couple most of them, if possible, so they can live together. They each have a separation area, where they are released upon arrival, where they are fed and monitored.
Most of the big cats were relocated from Stichting Leeuw in the Netherlands. They rescued them from circuses, private possession, and other bad circumstances, like war zones in Ukraine. When they are rehabilitated to good physical and mental health, and when enough funds are raised, Stichting Leeuw brings them to TLF, to live happily ever after.
Apart from Africa’s pride, the lion, we also have tigers. Even though these majestic animals do not occur naturally on the African continent, we feel that the tigers that were sheltered at Stichting Leeuw in the Netherlands, also deserve the very best. The South African climate suits them very well. Both lions and tigers are endangered species. We do not breed with them, as we believe there are already far too many big cats in captivity. Even though our big cat project cannot help the populations in a practical manner, we can create awareness about the plight of lions and tigers, by educating our visitors and volunteers, both in South Africa and in the Netherlands.