Lion saved as cub from Ukraine war and brought to US battles rare fungal disease
Taras, a lion rescued from the war in Ukraine as a cub, is currently receiving treatment for a rare and potentially fatal fungal infection called blastomycosis. The lion, now living at a Minnesota sanctuary, is responding to intensive antifungal therapy.
Why it matters
The story highlights the long-term humanitarian and animal welfare consequences of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Taras the lion. Photograph: The Wildcat Sanctuary Taras the lion. Photograph: The Wildcat Sanctuary US news Lion saved as cub from Ukraine war and brought to US battles rare fungal disease Four-year-old Taras, who now resides at a Minnesota sanctuary, was diagnosed with an often fatal infection
Prefer the Guardian on Google A lion that escaped the war in Ukraine after being found as a four-month-old cub inside a duffel bag at Odesa railway station is facing an even greater battle for survival in his new home in Minnesota from a rare and often fatal fungal disease.
Taras; his two sisters, Lesya and Stefania; and an unrelated, slightly older cub from Kyiv named Prada were brought to the US in November 2022 by the Wildcat Sanctuary , a secluded private reserve near Sandstone, Minnesota, that arranged their rescue with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in