FOUR PAWS Evacuate 50 Animals from Sudan Animal Rescue

FOUR PAWS, a global animal welfare organisation, has returned to Sudan for the urgent evacuation of nearly 50 wild animals from the Sudan Animal Rescue (SAR) in Khartoum, Sudan on 19 and 20 November 2023, due to the dangers of the ongoing war between Sudan the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The rescued animals have been relocated to temporary safe space.

According to FOUR PAWS, this has been one of its biggest and most dangerous rescue missions to date. ‘Conflicts not only affect humans but also animals. Given the high-risk circumstances, our priority was to safely evacuate all the animals from Sudan Animal Rescue in Khartoum as fast as possible. The team needed to traverse through disputed territory and a crime-ridden no-man’s land between the two factions. This was a huge challenge for our team but we are relieved that we got nearly 50 animals out of the immediate dangers of the conflict zone,’ said FOUR PAWS veterinarian Dr Amir Khalil, who led the evacuation and relocation. 

SAR, Sudan’s first animal rescue shelter, has 23 lions, five hyenas, and five wildcats as well as gazelles, monkeys, turtles, snakes, and many birds. Since the war began in April 2013, SAR has been looking for aid to evacuate their animals to safety as some of their rescued animals have been killed or taken by the RSF. In addition, in June 2023, SAR officially launched an emergency appeal, calling for urgent aid help relocate their animals outside of Khartoum. SAR sought the help of FOUR PAWS, which has previously aided SAR and their animals. SAR released a statement on their social media platforms on 21 November 2023, quoting Islamic Hadith:

‘There is no animal that crawls on the earth, no bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you (Quran, 6:38)’

The FOUR PAWS experts, together with local support, evacuated the animals, including lions, hyenas, wildcats, birds, and deer in two-day action. Sadly, not all animals survived. The surviving animals received emergency veterinary care and were relocated to a safe area in Um Barona National Park. The Sudanese Wildlife authorities will now take over the care of the animals and look into a sustainable long-term solution together with FOUR PAWS. 

‘Sadly, multiple lions and other animals have recently died due to disease and hunger, resorting to eating each other. The surviving animals are very thin and weak, despite the best efforts of the remaining caretakers. We provided immediate emergency veterinary care and medication after bringing them to safety. During the upcoming weeks, we will be working with the Sudanese authorities and SAR to find sustainable long-term solutions for the animals,’ said Khalil.

The FOUR PAWS team, including veterinarians and wildlife experts, has been preparing the logistic challenge of relocating the large number of animals under extremely difficult circumstances tirelessly. Both parties involved in the ongoing war have granted the team permission to enter Khartoum to swiftly evacuate all animals from the premises of SAR. In the recent months, FOUR PAWS has been supporting SAR with costs for food, medicine, and staff, and provided veterinary knowledge and advice. The experienced team is working closely with the Sudanese officials and will be accompanied by security experts at all times.   

‘It is saddening to see how much suffering these animals had to endure due to the ongoing conflicts and challenging situation in Sudan but we are glad to see them on the way to a better future. We are grateful to all involved parties on the ground that gave our FOUR PAWS team permission to save these animals, who are innocents trapped in a human conflict. This shows how dedication and great cooperation can spark hope. Reveal, rescue, protect – these three verbs define how we operate. Now that we have brought the animals to safety, we will find a sustainable long-term solution for them together with the Sudanese authorities and our global network,’ said FOUR PAWS CEO Josef Pfabigan.

War in Sudan erupted in 15 April 2023. At least 9,000 people have been killed and more than 7 million have been displaced. At least 3 million people have been internally displaced, and at least 4 million have fled the country to neighbouring countries such as Egypt, Chad, South Sudan and Ethiopia. Those still in Sudan are struggling with a lack of electricity, food and water.

Expertise in disaster, crisis, and conflict zones 

Emergency animal rescues in delicate situations are no new territory for FOUR PAWS. The experts from the Rapid Response team have already worked in countries such as Libya, Sri Lanka, Kenia in the past or recently disaster relief in Türkiye and Syria after the devastating earthquake. In 2016 and 2019, they evacuated three zoos in the Gaza Strip. In 2017, FOUR PAWS rescued 13 animals from an amusement park near Aleppo in Syria as well as the last two surviving bears and lions from a zoo in Mosul, Iraq.  

FOUR PAWS first became active in Sudan in 2020 to provide the nearly starved lions Kandaka and Mansour with urgent medical care and food. The zoo where they were kept was closed shortly after. FOUR PAWS relocated the lions to the newly built rescue center of the local animal welfare organisation Sudan Animal Rescue, where they could regain strength for the planned relocation. After a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions around the world, FOUR PAWS was finally able to transfer Kandaka and Mansour to their forever home at Al Ma’wa for Nature and Wildlife in Jordan in November 2022.  

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