Two tigers rescued last month from cramped cages in a truck stuck on the Poland-Belarus border got their first taste of freedom on Monday as they explored an outdoor enclosure in their new home at a zoo.
Maximus and Fenix, who were among nine tigers being transported from Italy to Russia, have now found shelter at the private Zoo Canpol close to the small Polish town of Człuchów.
Zoo owner Izabella Odejewska said she can hardly recognise the two male tigers from when they first arrived several weeks ago.
Although both Maximus and Fenix were initially hesitant in their new haven, they soon relaxed and began exploring the enclosure.
Previously they had been kept in a smaller enclosure meant to help them overcome their feelings of fear and increase their trust in humans, Odejewska said.
The other seven tigers are currently in quarantine in a zoo in the western Polish city of Poznań. Dutch animal welfare charity Animal Advocacy and Protection has said it is hoping to move five of the tigers in Poznań to a shelter in southern Spain.
The tigers spent days stuck in cages on a truck at the border, having started in Rome and travelling some 2,000 km (1,242 miles). There were originally 10 tigers on board, but one died in transit.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: tvn24