After years of confinement and forced performances, two lionesses Illiana and Tomoyo, have finally found a home at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary. Their journey from a French circus to a life of freedom demonstrates both the harsh reality of wild animal performances and second chances that sanctuaries provide. 

Born in a circus near Paris in 2012, Illiana and Tomoyo spent their early years performing for audiences, forced into staging tricks for human entertainment. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, they were regularly showcased in the ring. However, when the pandemic halted performances, the lionesses were left in cramped quarters with little opportunity to exercise, leading to significant health concerns.

In December 2024, their owner voluntarily surrendered them, along with another lioness named Pepsi. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of FOUR PAWS, the Free Life Association, Tonga Terre d’Accueil and the Belgian Wildlife Rescue Centre Natuurhulpcentrum, the lionesses were relocated to Tonga Terre d’Accueil refuge in France for temporary care. 

Tragically, Pepsi did not survive during the transition. She succumbed to acute kidney failure; a condition often found in big cats kept in inadequate conditions. Despite this heartbreaking loss, Illiana and Tomoyo continued their journey toward a better life. 

On April 9, 2025, the lionesses were transported from Paris to Johannesburg by plane, arriving at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary the next day. They were released into a species-appropriate enclosure. Illiana and Tomoyo are finally experiencing the freedom they were denied for so long and have begun adapting to their new environment.  

In France alone, hundreds of big cats remain trapped in the entertainment industry. Fortunately, France has committed to banning wild animal performances by December 2028, offering hope for many more animals still suffering.

The lionesses will live out the rest of their lives at their forever home here at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary. 

LIONSROCK is home to other big cats rescued from the circus industry, such as lion Romeo, the Train Tigers and the Starlight Tigers.