Our San Diego animal sanctuary is home to more than 60 rescued exotic and domestic animals that include big cats and bears. And each one of these animals has a unique story of how they came to find refuge with us. For the most part, these animals were rescued from dire situations—some from the exotic pet industry, others from the illegal wildlife trade, and many from facilities that could no longer care for them properly. They came to us scared and often in poor health. But with the proper care and a whole lot of love, they are now thriving in their new home!
Our sanctuary sits on 142 beautiful acres with expansive species-specific habitats. This means that all animals in our care, including those listed as endangered, have enough space to roam and explore the same way they would in their natural habitats. Our mission is rescuing wildlife, and we do it with love and compassion.
Let’s have a quick look at the animals in our care as well as their rescue stories.
Let's start with Louie, our magnificent white lion. Louie, whose Swahili name Lufuno means "good to love," was rescued along with two other lions, Zulu and Arusha, in April 2017. They came to us after their private owner and former animal trainer decided it was best to relinquish the trio. Louie was 12 years old at the time of his rescue.
The white lion is a rare color mutation of the Southern African lion, typically found in the Timbavati region. Louie was born in captivity and originally gifted to his previous owner by a friend in Africa. With his kind and sweet nature, Louie truly lives up to his name.
Next up is Suri, our beautiful African lioness. Suri was rescued with her sister Jillian and brother Bakari in 2007 when they were just four weeks old. They came from a big cat sanctuary in Louisiana that was in trouble with the state, overcrowded, and they were unable to keep the cubs. We stepped in to provide a safe home for all three. Suri loves to lounge with Jillian in the tall grasses of their habitats. They’re both gentle souls and a joy to be around.
Nicholas, our mountain lion, had a tough start. When he was just a cub, he was involved in an accident that killed his mother and left him with severe pelvic fractures and blunt-force trauma. It was a miracle he survived. He received immediate medical care, but his injuries were so severe that he couldn't return to the wild Southern California Mountains where he belonged. On top of that, the facility that took him in closed.
When we learned of Nicholas’s plight, we worked tirelessly—even during a snowstorm—to reach Nicholas and bring him back here to LTB. We noticed that he doesn’t enjoy strangers and excessive movement – so we created his spacious habitat away from public visits and noise.
Zoe has a particularly dramatic rescue story. With 3 large rescue trailers, our team took part in a large-scale big cat rescue at Tiger King Park in Oklahoma in May of 2021. The US Department of Justice removed 68 big cats from the facility due to ongoing Endangered Species Act violations. We were able to bring Jem and Zoe back to LTB. They’re both thriving in their new home, enjoying their specialized diets and the enriching environment we provide.
Then there's Nola, our stunning white tiger. Nola was rescued in December 2017 after being seized from an unauthorized location near New Orleans, Louisiana. She was only five months old and needed immediate medical attention for severe neglect, including malnutrition and parasites. Her rescue was part of a multi-state operation that also saved several bears.
After making the cross-country trip back to our sanctuary, Nola received round-the-clock care and quickly made a full recovery. She’s now healthy, happy, and a beautiful reminder of the impact of our mission.
Kallie was rescued from a defunct roadside zoo in Oklahoma known for cub petting and photo ops. After being shut down for safety violations, Kallie, along with three other declawed female tigers, were rescued and moved to safety. Kallie arrived at our sanctuary scared and malnourished.
She had ongoing complications due to her declawing, ultimately resulting in her losing her front left leg. Despite these challenges, Kallie has made a remarkable recovery. With dedicated care, she has regained her strength and now enjoys a happy, active life in her new home. She loves exploring her spacious enclosure, playing with enrichment toys, and lounging in the sun. Kallie's story is a testament to the resilience of these magnificent animals and the importance of proper care at an accredited animal sanctuary.
Moka was rescued as a two-month-old cub from smugglers trying to bring him across the Mexico-US border in 2017. He was sent to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park until June 2018. But being a Bengal tiger hybrid, he wasn't suitable for the zoo's species survival breeding program. Consequently, the California Department of Fish & Wildlife asked us to provide him with a permanent home.
Moka arrived at Lions Tigers & Bears in June 2018 and quickly settled into his new environment. And good for him, he met Nola, another white tiger, and they soon became inseparable.
Our leopard, Conga, had a tough start in life as a captive-bred pet abandoned at just five weeks old. Luckily, our sanctuary was able to adopt her, thanks to the generous support of our donors and members! Since arriving in July 2005, Conga has settled into her enclosure, where she enjoys playing with her ball, climbing on rocks and logs, and lounging in hammocks by her pool and waterfall.
Susie and Sallie, our Himalayan Black Bears, were rescued in October 2022 from the Tri-State Zoological Park in Maryland. This defunct roadside zoo had a troubling history of animal welfare violations, leading to its closure. PETA's legal efforts helped pave the way for their rescue, culminating in relief for our team when we could finally bring these bears to safety.
Before their rescue, Susie and Sallie endured years in cramped, unsanitary conditions without adequate water and were fed a diet that left them severely overweight and toothless. Today, they are eating healthy and thriving in their new home at Lions Tigers & Bears.
Then there's Rocky, who had a different journey. He was a former entertainment bear in the film industry, and after retiring, he ended up at a boarding facility in Southern California that was too small for him.
Liberty's journey to Lions Tigers & Bears started when she was separated from her mother and faced euthanasia after venturing into campgrounds near Mt. Baldy, California. An officer from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife reached out to us, and the bear found a permanent home at LTB in 2009.
Baloo and Teddy are Himalayan black bears born at Tote-em-in Zoo. They were initially cared for by a couple who frequented the zoo and developed a bond with them and their mother, Luna Bear.
When the zoo decided to send the cubs to an auction house in Ohio at just two months old, the couple intervened to prevent their separation. Later, they also took in Albert and Cherry Bomb as pets until they could no longer care for them adequately. They reached out to us for help, and we welcomed the animals at our sanctuary with open arms.
Eddie was bred in captivity by wildlife traffickers who used him for photo ops in various hotels. Eventually, He was sold as a pet, but just weeks later, he was abandoned at our sanctuary gates. Eddie's experience highlights the dark side of the exotic animal trade, but now he’s safe and cared for at Lions Tigers & Bears.
Miss Kitty and Junior were pets locked in a cage and kept in a kitchen. But when their owner passed away, the other owner had to vacate her family home and could not bring them along. So she left them behind but continued to visit them daily and provide them with food and water. After a while, she began to seek help, and fortunately, LTB stepped in.
Denali’s owner claimed to have gotten him from a roadside zoo. But when he rapidly grew and reached double the size of a domestic cat (Servals have long legs and a small head), his owner quickly realized he could no longer care for him. So he placed Denali at the Spirit of the Hills Sanctuary. But when he was just one, he found himself part of a major rescue effort in 2016.
The sanctuary he was staying could not provide adequate care for all the 160+ residents. And after a mauling incident, the facility was ultimately closed. Alongside local authorities, Lions Tigers & Bears moved over 300 animals, relocating them to accredited sanctuaries including our own.
Atlas started as a pet in Montana, living indoors with his owner and their pets. But as he grew, his wild side took over, making it tough for his owner to care for him. Thankfully, Lions, Tigers, and Bears stepped in to give him a more natural life as a bobcat.
A truck driver claimed to have found RJ on the roadside near LA. He was tiny and ill, so the truck driver took him home, thinking he was a regular kitten. Turns out, RJ was a bobcat – he eventually decided to surrender him. But by that time, RJ had already experienced too much human contact that would hinder his ability to survive in the wild. So, he found a forever home at LTB. It's sad how captive breeding can mix things up like this, but RJ is safe and happy now in his forever home.
Mia's story shows why exotic animals aren't great as pets. She lived in Wyoming and, despite being loved, caused a lot of chaos with her wild instincts. When her owner couldn't handle it anymore, LTB came to the rescue.
Diego was mysteriously left at a pet hospital, thin and dehydrated. He was so friendly and used to people that experts thought he might have been bred in captivity. After some failed attempts to get him ready for the wild, LTB gave him a permanent home. Now, he's safe and thriving at our sanctuary.
Wild animals belong to the wild. When people take them in as pets, it often leads to difficult situations for both the animals and their owners. When they can no longer care for these animals, they’ll most likely abandon them, but hopefully they will take them to true accredited sanctuaries like LTB.
Our mission is to rescue and rehabilitate such animals, but there’s only so much we can do. The best way to ensure their safety is to leave them in the wild. Human activities like poaching and retaliatory killings are part of the reason tigers, leopards, and some bear species are listed as endangered.If you wish to support us in our effort to care for these animals and to raise awareness about wildlife rescue, consider making a tax-deductible donation. Your generosity helps us continue our work and make a real difference in the lives of these animals. Together, we can protect and preserve our wildlife for future generations.
