Pregan was born in a zoo in Germany in 2007 and came to the rescue centre in the Netherlands in 2012. Two years later, when FOUR PAWS took over the rescue centre, Pregan and his sister Simba moved to LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary. Although there live over a hundred big cats in LIONSROCK, Pregan can be easily recognised: he is a male lion with no mane. 

When we first met Pregan in 2013, he looked at a first glance like a very big lioness. Pregan has an unusual appearance: because he has been neutered in the past, he lost all of his mane. Male lions have mane to appear larger so they can deter intruders, and it also protects them from claws and jaws during fights. Luckily Pregan did not have to fight: he and his sister Simba had a very good relationship. 

However, they were not happy. After they were discarded by a German zoo and ended up in the Netherlands, they were locked up in a very small enclosure with no distractions. The two lions had far too little space and therefore were amongst the first six animals that made the journey to LIONSROCK in 2014, right after the take-over of the centre by FOUR PAWS. Here they quickly adjusted to their new life in a species-appropriate home under the African sun.

Unfortunately, Simba passed away in 2017 due to kidney failure. Since Simba's passing, Pregan lives alone however he can still interact with his neighbor lions when he wants to.