A Eurasian lynx rescued from misery in Ukraine took her first steps on grass \u2014and soon rolled over onto her back\u2014after being rescued by a UK animal sanctuary.<\/p>\n
The big cat named Ursa was found seriously ill in January after being illegally kept as a private pet in Kyiv.<\/p>\n
She was moved to a wild animal rescue centre in the Ukrainian capital while the war raged and bombs continued to fall in the surrounding area.<\/p>\n
The effort was supported in England by the Big Cat Sanctuary near Ashford, Kent, which raised the required $180,000 (\u00a3134,000) needed to evacuate Ursa to a new home in Britain.<\/p>\n
Staff called it a \u201chigh risk\u201d mission that included navigating complex border crossings, and an active war zone.<\/p>\n
After flying her back to safety in February she was then moved into a temporary enclosure while a specially-built new one could be constructed.<\/p>\n
This week she got to go outdoors and feel the grass under her paws for the first time as the nature-filled enclosure was finally completed.<\/p>\n \u201cTo see Ursa take her first steps here in Kent was an incredibly emotional moment for the whole team,\u201d said Cam Whitnall, wildlife expert and managing director of\u00a0The Big Cat Sanctuary.<\/p>\n \u201cThis mission was fraught with unpredictability, navigating a war zone with a vulnerable apex predator, but seeing her safe makes every risk worthwhile.<\/p>\n