“WE’D NEVER SEEN SO MANY LIONS IN ONE CAGE THIS SMALL” This week in 2010, the ADI team raided a Circo Cavalini in Bolivia as part of Operation Lion Ark to enforce the country’s ban on animal circuses. In a fiery encounter to rescue the 8 lions, there were scuffles and the circus owner slashed the tires of our lion trailer. Referred to as ‘The Battle of San Borja’, the day is captured in the film Lion Ark (see comments for link) and was regarded a key moment in the rescue mission. Eight lions and horse were taken, with lions malnourished and in appalling conditions. One lion named Campeon was near death, but was nursed back to health at the ADI Temporary Rescue Unit near Santa Cruz. In Bolivia, ADI rescued 29 lions, a horse, a deer, a coati mundi and many monkeys of various species.
