“Both girls were weak and frightened” ?
When rescuers from Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi, Kenya, recently got a call about two animals trapped in a pit on a nearby ranch, they rushed to the scene without hesitation.
Gazing into the cavernous hole, the rescuers were heartbroken to see two huge sisters staring back, unable to move.
The 6-month-old lion cubs had mistakenly fallen into the pit while passing through the area, and had already spent over a day waiting for help. Rescuers didn’t want them to wait any longer.
“Both girls were weak and frightened,” the wildlife trust wrote in a Facebook post. “While they cowered below, the team developed a plan.”
Rescuers safely anesthetized the cubs. Then, they used a ladder to descend into the pit. Soon, the cubs were being hoisted out of the hole on stretchers, where veterinarians were standing by to conduct an examination. To everyone’s relief, neither cub had sustained any injuries — they were ready to return to the wild.
The cubs were safe and healthy. But rescuers held out hope for one more miracle.
“Now, all we needed was a happy reunion with their mum,” the wildlife trust wrote in the Facebook post.
Using hidden cameras, wildlife advocates kept watch over the cubs. After 12 hours, rescuers finally saw what they’d been hoping for — the pride of lions returning for their babies.
“We can only imagine their mother’s surprise and relief!” the wildlife trust wrote.
Rescuers were overjoyed that this story had such a happy ending.
“The cubs would have been very vulnerable on their own and may not have even been able to survive without the support and protection of their pride,” a representative from Sheldrick Wildlife Trust told The Dodo. “The reunion was a very happy occasion.”