Romeo, a white male lion born into the circus industry in France, has begun an exciting new chapter in his life.

• A new chapter

Romeo was born in July 2019 and almost immediately thrust into the circus world of performance and entertainment.

• An exploitive start

At LIONSROCK, Romeo will have the chance to thrive in a vast natural enclosure with proper nutrition, veterinary care, enrichment, and the company of other lions.

• Hope for a better future 

Romeo, a white male lion born into the circus industry in France, has begun an exciting new chapter in his life at the LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa. The sanctuary, established by welfare organisation FOUR PAWS, will be Romeo's forever home after he was rescued from neglect and exploitation. 

Romeo was born in July 2019 and almost immediately thrust into the circus world of performance and entertainment. His owner used Romeo to perform in circus acts but eventually went bankrupt and began neglecting Romeo and the other animals. By 2019, only five of the original 15 lions remained, with two dying of starvation. 

Rescue groups Action Protection Animale (APA) and Natuurhulpcentrum intervened in August 2023, saving Romeo and two other lions from unsympathetic conditions. Prior to his rescue, Romeo was confined to a small 2x5 meter cage on a truck, fed expired meat, which resulted in him suffering from malnourishment and infections. Though he had some access to an outdoor area, he wasn't properly socialised with other lions. 

As a white lion, Romeo likely originated from inbreeding, a cruel practice used by some breeders to produce the rare white coat that attracts more visitors and sells for higher prices. Inbreeding often stifles white lions with lifelong health complications. Romeo's overly friendly demeanour with humans also indicates he may have been hand-raised, which can lead to additional long-term behavioural and health implications. 

At LIONSROCK, Romeo will have the chance to thrive in a vast natural enclosure with proper nutrition, veterinary care, enrichment, and the company of other lions. The plan is to carefully socialise him with lioness Nala, who was also rescued from a French circus in 2017. Like Romeo, Nala is a victim of the cruel lion trade that exploits big cats for entertainment and profit. 

Nala was released at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in October 2018 and was intended to be socialised with lion Saeed. Unfortunately, Saeed passed away in 2020. Since then, FOUR PAWS has been looking for a partner for Nala and believed that Romeo could be a potential match. 

The dedicated caretakers at LIONSROCK have extensive experience socialising lions and will follow a rigorous protocol to introduce the two big cats. After giving Romeo time to acclimate into his new surroundings, they will first let Romeo and Nala see and smell each other from neighbouring enclosures. If they display friendly behaviour, the team will allow them to meet first in a smaller indoor space. Finally, if all goes well, they will share the large outdoor enclosure together under close monitoring.

While lions are social creatures that benefit from the company of other lions in the right setting, socialisation must be done carefully by experts to ensure the safety and welfare of the animals. LIONSROCK is a true sanctuary and as such we follow a strict no breeding policy. This prevents more big cats being born in captivity and provides the opportunity to offer safe homes to more big cats in need. To align with this policy, Nala has been spayed. 

Romeo's story highlights the harsh reality of many lions suffering in circuses, canned hunting facilities, zoos, and cub petting that occurs around the world. FOUR PAWS has been working for decades to end the cruel commercial trade of big cats and advocate for laws protecting lions and other wild animals from a lifetime of suffering. 

Though his life began under tragic circumstances, Romeo will now have the care and freedom to live and thrive at LIONSROCK.