Taras, a four-year-old lion rescued from the war in Ukraine, is battling a rare and often fatal fungal disease at a sanctuary in Minnesota, US. The lion, found as a four-month-old cub in a duffel bag at Odesa railway station, was diagnosed with blastomycosis, a non-contagious fungal infection, in May.
Taras, along with his two sisters Lesya and Stefania, and another cub named Prada, were brought to the US in November 2022 by the Wildcat Sanctuary, a private reserve near Sandstone, Minnesota. The rescue was arranged with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).
Veterinarians at the sanctuary noticed Taras was sluggish and off his food in May. Following numerous tests, including a scan and lung biopsy, he was diagnosed with blastomycosis, a condition that was blamed in the death of a white tiger in Wisconsin in June.
Tammy Thies, the sanctuary's founder, stated that Taras responded well to intensive treatment, including twice-daily injections of anti-fungal medication. He has since rejoined his pride, but still requires oral medicine twice a day. Thies noted it could be weeks or months before staff are confident he is fully recovered.