Eurasian lynx rescued from Ukraine finds new home in Kent

Kent: A Eurasian lynx rescued from Ukraine has taken her first steps on grass at a UK sanctuary, months after being saved from a war zone.

The big cat, named Ursa, was found seriously ill in January after being illegally kept as a pet in Kyiv. She was moved to a rescue centre in the capital as bombs fell nearby.

The Big Cat Sanctuary near Ashford raised $180,000 to evacuate her to Britain in what staff called a “high risk” mission through an active war zone. She arrived in February and spent months in a temporary enclosure.

This week, Ursa entered her new, specially-built home and felt grass under her paws for the first time.“To see Ursa take her first steps here in Kent was an incredibly emotional moment,” said Cam Whitnall, managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary. “She has spent her life under the shadow of conflict and neglect. Now, that story has changed… She is finally in her forever home.”