Two lion cubs, Ben Tzur and Uri, who were rescued last year after being illegally trafficked into Israel, were transferred to a big-cat sanctuary in South Africa on Tuesday, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) announced on Thursday.
The two lions arrived at the Animal Defenders International (ADI) sanctuary in South Africa after a 30-hour journey that included a stopover in Germany. They were released into their new enclosure on Wednesday.
Ben Tzur and Uri are two of six lion cubs rescued in 2025 after being illegally smuggled into Israel and later found in areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority.
Ben Tzur, the largest of the rescued cubs, was found tied to a tree, while Uri, the youngest, was discovered by Kafr Qassem police in poor health. Both were transferred to Hai Park in Kiryat Motzkin, which served as their temporary home until their relocation.
The INPA welcomed its cooperation with ADI, which it said would provide a suitable home for the lions, while warning that the case highlights the broader problem of illegal wildlife trafficking.
Wildlife trafficking remains an ongoing problem
"The captured lion cubs have indeed captured public attention due to their unusualness, but they are only the tip of the iceberg of the disturbing criminal phenomenon," Ben Rosenberg, director of the Wildlife Protection Division at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, said.
"In 2025 alone, more than 560 wild animals were captured that were illegally traded, and some of them were illegally smuggled, among them many reptiles, monkeys, birds, marine wildlife and more," Rosenberg continued.
Shai Peretz, chief prosecutor at the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, also addressed what she described as a "cruel criminal phenomenon," emphasizing that enforcement efforts must extend beyond protecting the animals themselves to targeting the criminal networks and financial interests behind the trade.
Peretz: Enforcement must go beyond protecting trafficked wildlife
"The illegal trade in protected wildlife and protected natural values does not amount to harming the animals - it constitutes an economic engine for criminal elements, including criminal organizations and crime families, who derive enormous profits from this depraved trade," she said.
Peretz pointed to the Money Laundering Prohibition Law, which recognizes wildlife trafficking offenses and certain violations of the Wildlife Protection Law and the National Parks, Nature Reserves, National Sites and Memorial Sites Law.
She said the legal framework gives enforcement authorities additional tools to disrupt the financial infrastructure supporting the illegal wildlife trade.
"This is a real change in the perception of the fight against environmental crime, which will allow us to reach the perpetrators of crime themselves and more effectively combat the criminal organizations and families involved in the cruel trade in lion cubs, monkeys and other protected wild animals," she said.