Years ago, a traveling circus abandoned Bengal tigers Mafalda and Sandro in a train carriage. A local farmer in the San Louis province in Argentina agreed to take them in, as he thought it would only be for a short time – not knowing that no one would return.

In the beginning, it was only two of them. Then two cubs were born – Gustavo and Messi – who are 10 years old today. From then on, the four tigers had 75 m² to pace back and forth, while metal bars separated them with no possibilities to move, run and play. It would take 10 more years in the dirty train wagon, surrounded by nothing else than concrete, excrement and leftover meat before their life was about to change.

Since the private keeping of wild animals is illegal in the South American Country, the Authorities in Argentina turned to FOUR PAWS. The FOUR PAWS Rapid Response Rescue team traveled to the province San Louis to assess the tigers and prepare the rescue to finally offer them the species-appropriate life they so urgently needed. This was the first ever mission for FOUR PAWS in South America.

FOUR PAWS had the opportunity to transfer these four tigers and took on the challenge no matter how difficult it seemed. From Argentina, the rescued tigers had to travel across 3 continents to arrive at their new forever home at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa.

At LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary, they finally have the chance to experience the life they deserve – to feel grass between their paws and take a bath for the first time ever.