Ivan-Asen was in very bad shape when we first arrived at Razgrad Zoo in November 2017. Fortunately, the lion responded well to the treatment he received after his rescue during his temporary stay at Sofia Zoo. During this time, our animal animal caretaker crate-trained Ivan-Asen on-site, with the result that he voluntarily went into his transport box. Therefore, risky anaesthesia for the already weakened lion could be avoided. Dr. Marc Gölkel from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) was present during the entire transfer to examine and observe the three-year-old lion and attest to his ability to travel.

The transfer of Ivan-Asen follows that of the lion siblings Masoud and Terez, whom FOUR PAWS already brought to FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in March 2018. With Ivan-Asen arriving at the Dutch Big Cat Sanctuary, the lions, who come from the same family, are reunited.

Razgrad Zoo opened in 1960 and is located in north-eastern Bulgaria. Although its license expired in 2014, the zoo remains open to visitors for free, and was financed by the unprofessional (in)breeding and sale of lions. Animals of different species – including lions, deer, reindeer, llamas, foxes, hogs and birds – still live in the illegal zoo. Since the city owns the zoo, we convinced the mayor of Razgrad to intervene. At the end of last year, an international team of veterinarians provided medical care to the lions and sterilised two adult males.

Ivan-Asen is a good example of an animal that requires highly specialised and intensive care. Because he is the result of inbreeding and grew up under very poor conditions, he developed serious joint and digestive problems. Luckily we could help him recover from his digestive problems and because his muscles got stronger, his mobility also improved. Ivan is doing well. He enjoys his enclosure and plays with his nephews Masoud and Terez. His manes shine and he roars proudly every day.

But we need to keep a close eye on him. For instance, we see that Ivan ​sometimes develops skin problems. Ivan has a weak immune system and because of the deformity in his neck it is difficult to groom himself properly.

To provide him with the most suitable care, we investigate his diet to rule out possible allergies, we will provide him with a cattle brush to help him clean his fur and we are looking for infra-red panels which could help him with direct warmth. In addition, our wildlife veterinarian Marc Gölkel paid us a visit to take some skin biopsies from Ivan. We are now awaiting the results of this examination so that we can treat Ivan accordingly. It was a short veterinary check and Ivan woke up well in his warm bed of straw. 

Recently we've been keeping a close eye on Ivan-Asen, but at the moment the signs are promising that he is coping well.

Following his skin biopsy results, we are thankful the results showed no bacterial, viral or allergy related problems. But we suspect that Ivan has a problem with his immune system which can lead to problems with his skin and other organs; recent check-up showed that his kidneys have deteriorated a little.

We now provide Ivan with medication to help him with his physical problems and this works out well. Ivan will always need intensive care and sadly may have moments that his immune system will cause him some discomfort. But for now, the spots on his skin are healing and his behaviour is demonstrating that he feels better as he is becoming more active and playing with his neighbors Masoud and Terez again.

26th of March, only two years ago, on this day, Ivan arrived at FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary! He looks nothing like the poor creature that arrived here. He looks like a true king. All thanks to your support. You made it possible to rescue Ivan from a dark cage in an illegal breeding station in Bulgaria. Happy anniversary Ivan, we hope to enjoy your beautiful company for many more years to come!

The past few months have been incredibly hard for us, losing several of our big cats after intensively taking care of them 24/7. Therefore the unexpected and very sudden loss of our precious lion Ivan-Asen at our FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary is hurting us more than words can ever describe.

We always knew that Ivan’s health, as a probable result of inbreeding and a very difficult start to life, had its ups and downs. Yet recently he seemed a happy and content lion, showing no signs of discomfort. So when we wished him a good night last Thursday, we would have never expected it was the last time ever that we looked him in the eyes…

On Friday morning, June 18th 2021, our team found him dead on one of his favorite spots: in the warm sand where he had a great view of his neighbours. The first post-mortem results show acute stomach bleeding, which resulted in an immediate death without further suffering. We are awaiting further results that hopefully can tell us more about this sudden passing.

We are absolutely devastated by this unfathomable loss. After having been severely neglected for the first four years of his life in Bulgaria, and despite constantly fighting the physical wounds of his past, we know he felt at home at FELIDA and finally lived in peace and dignity. What we would have given to allow him some more years of that. Although we try to feel thankful for the three years that he was with us, the pain and shock is overwhelming at this moment.

We truly will never forget you Ivan. May you rest in peace, finally, forever.