Simona lived in a hotel, caged in a tiny enclosure in Bulgaria. She was approximately 4 years old when she was rescued from the hotel in the town of Melnik in March 2010 with the help of the Bulgarian authorities. 

Following her rescue, she was temporarily kept in Sofia Zoo in the Bulgarian capital, which agreed to accommodate her until arrangements could be made by FOUR PAWS to transfer her to LIONSROCK later that same year. She arrived at LIONSROCK, her forever home on 29 October 2010. Simona can be seen at LIONSROCK moving around freely or lying in her big enclosure enriched with appropriate amenities that allow her to express a range of natural behaviours. 

Big cats belong in the wild and not in captivity. However, when for many reasons, they cannot be taken back to the wild as is the case with Simona and other rescued big cats, ensuring the best quality of life for the remainder of the animal’s life is at the heart of True Sanctuaries such as LIONSROCK.