About a dozen lions, tigers, cougars, and other big cats returned to the Wildlife Waystation, a sanctuary north of Los Angeles, just days after being evacuated due to an approaching wildfire.
The big cats, along with some hyenas and raccoons, were brought back from another animal facility on Wednesday, according to Jerry Brown, a spokesperson for the sanctuary.
Sanctuary staff carefully unloaded a Bengal tiger from a large cage and guided it into a secure enclosure.
Martine Colette, the 74-year-old founder of the Wildlife Waystation, watched closely as the animals were returned, expressing her deep connection to each one: “Every one of them is something in my life and is special in my life.”
The big cats were among approximately 300 wild and exotic animals, including snakes, parrots, and bears, evacuated last weekend as a fast-moving fire threatened the sanctuary. Volunteers responded quickly, providing trucks and trailers to help transport the animals.
The Los Angeles Zoo and an animal sanctuary in San Diego also supplied cages for the emergency relocation.
“Animal people take care of animal people,” said Brown, highlighting the collaboration among different animal care organizations.
As the wildfire approached, smaller animals more sensitive to smoke and ash were evacuated first, while larger animals, such as big cats and chimpanzees, followed later in the day.
By Saturday night, fire officials determined that the sanctuary was no longer in immediate danger and allowed staff to pause the evacuation efforts.
Animals that had been moved began returning to the sanctuary on Tuesday, and more are expected to arrive in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles County officials reported that owners have started reclaiming their animals, including horses, goats, llamas, chickens, and pigs, which were removed from ranches threatened by the fire.
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