The Big Cat Sanctuary welcomes two white lionesses

Two white lionesses have retired to the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent after spending their formative years at its sister charity in Hertfordshire.

On Monday Zuri and Izulu embarked on a two-hour journey from Hertfordshire Zoo, arriving safely at the Headcorn charity just after 15:00 GMT.

The first night was spent acclimatising before the pair were released into their new surroundings on Tuesday. Both began exploring immediately, with Zuri confidently taking the lead.

While Izulu has a more calm demeanour, Zuri is affectionately nicknamed "the troublemaker" for her playful antics and has been known to chase pigeons and "dismantle plants".

Zuri and Izulu owe their distinctive white coats to a genetic condition known as leucism, which causes a loss of pigmentation in their skin and fur.

They were born at Hertfordshire Zoo in January 2013 and April 2009 respectively.

Their new enclosure is adjacent to the sanctuary's resident male African lion, Kasanga.

The charity, which is home to around 40 cats spanning 11 different species, plans to introduce the trio gradually in the hope of creating a harmonious pride.

While they are not a separate subspecies of African lion, Zuri and Izulu's presence at the sanctuary supports its mission of education and conservation, said the charity.

Many of its animals are classed as vulnerable to the risk of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

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