The Lionman - Libran Wildlife Reserve

The Lionman - Libran Wildlife Reserve This is the only official page of The Lionman, Craig Busch, operated from Libran Wildlife Reserve, North West Province, South Africa & United Kingdom.

05/09/2026

We’re really sorry this update is late. We know so many of you have been waiting, but if there’s one thing working with animals teaches you, it’s that things very rarely go exactly to plan.

Yesterday morning we set off for a nearby reserve to collect two young giraffe who had been identified as suitable companions for Zenda.

For anyone unfamiliar with wildlife management in South Africa, moving and redistributing game between suitable reserves is a normal and necessary part of managing healthy populations. Giraffe herds cannot simply continue growing indefinitely within enclosed reserves, and particularly as young bulls mature, having too many males together can lead to serious and sometimes fatal fighting.

So while moving an animal is never the nicest part of what we do, there is a much bigger picture. Young giraffe need appropriate homes and social groups, and our Zenda has spent far too long as a tower of one.

We quickly located the young male who had previously been identified as a great fit for her. Unfortunately, the young female we were also hoping to bring home was nowhere to be found, and then a huge storm rolled in.

So, plans changed.

We headed home with one very handsome, currently nameless young boy. 🦒

We’ve deliberately chosen not to show you every part of his move. Capture and relocation can look stressful in the moment, particularly without the wider context of why it is being done, and his welfare comes before content.

And now for the bit we’ve all been waiting for…

Zenda has a friend. ❤️

Her first reaction was a mixture of excitement and a little confusion, but she is already beginning to show him the ropes. We’re keeping our distance and giving him all the time and space he needs, but we’re already seeing glimpses of an inquisitive young boy who seems increasingly curious about these strange humans Zenda is so comfortable around.

And Zenda is being the perfect host. She’s confidently leading the way and showing him that there’s nothing here to fear.

We’re hoping to return for the young female within the next week so that, ideally, the three of them can settle and bond together while everything is still new.

For now, Zenda’s tower has officially grown from one to two. Hopefully very soon, it will be three. 🦒🦒🦒

Thank you for waiting, for caring so much about her story, and for helping us make this possible.

There is SO much more to come.

And as for our new boy’s name… watch this space. ❤️

05/09/2026

We have so much to share about yesterday, but typically a storm rolled in and we were left without WiFi and power until now🙄 😭 So here is a brief insight into our one new arrival, and we’ll put together a much more detailed post very soon. So far we only have one of the new giraffe, but we’re sure you’ll agree he’s a beauty ❤️🦒

03/09/2026

A little surprise from Craig today… 🦁❤️

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02/09/2026

A little spa day for Zeus 🐆🫧

Now that his pneumonia is behind him, Zeus is feeling much better, but at 15, recovery takes its toll. He’s spent a lot more time lying around and resting recently, and unfortunately he’s picked up a few unwanted passengers along the way… fleas!

So today Craig’s giving him a good shampoo before his usual flea treatment.

Caring for an elderly cheetah isn’t always glamorous. Sometimes it’s simply about noticing the little things and doing whatever we can to keep him clean, comfortable and happy. ❤️

02/09/2026

Zenda’s got an itchy ear this morning… she must know we’re talking about her! 🦒😂

Because there are only TWO DAYS TO GO until her new friends arrive! ❤️

Thanks to your incredible generosity, the biggest part of Operation Tower is already covered. We’re just a little short on the final transport and veterinary costs needed to get Zenda’s new companions safely home.

If you’d like to be part of Zenda’s story and help her finally build her very own tower, you can still donate through the link. Every little bit genuinely helps.

https://gofund.me/e7f8955ce

And as a special thank you, anyone donating over £25 will receive a keepsake picture from Zenda, signed by Craig. 🦒❤️

Two more sleeps, Zenda… your tower is almost here.

Was Zenda a ballerina in a past life? 🦒🩰Just look at that back leg. Even when she’s casually having a snack from the tre...
01/09/2026

Was Zenda a ballerina in a past life? 🦒🩰

Just look at that back leg. Even when she’s casually having a snack from the trees, she somehow manages to strike a pose.

Elegant, graceful and ever the lady. That’s our Zenda. 🤍

01/09/2026

A special moment with Craig and former Animal Planet presenter Mark Tennant, spending time with these incredible wild rhinos. 🦏

You’ll notice their horns have been removed. Sadly, dehorning is one of the measures used in parts of Africa to reduce the incentive for poachers to kill rhinos for their horns.

It’s not how we’d wish to see them, but protecting the animal has to come first. Whatever it takes to give these magnificent animals a safer future. 🤍

29/08/2026

What would you name him? 🪶👇

When Craig first moved to Libran, there were four ostriches living here. Unfortunately, our lone resident ostrich had other ideas about sharing his territory. He eventually saw the others off and, sadly, killed them.

That was some years ago now, and we can’t help wondering whether age might finally be making him a little softer.

We say might… 😂

He still struts around Libran as though he owns the place, and has been known to strike a little fear into anyone who needs to get past him, particularly after dark!

In this video, he’s decided that the peacocks’ food looks rather appealing. Craig is trying to convince him otherwise, which apparently requires Craig to become an ostrich himself and flap his own “wings” in defence. 😂

But we never give up on an animal.

Ultimately, we want all of the animals here to be able to live as peacefully and harmoniously alongside one another as possible. So perhaps we start small.

We think it’s time this boy finally had a name.

If we use it often enough, maybe one day he’ll even turn his head when we call him.

Although, to be completely honest, we’d settle for him simply not trying to attack us. 😂

So, what would YOU call him?

Leave your suggestion below. Once this reel has had a chance to run, we’ll go through your ideas and let you know which name we’ve chosen. ❤️

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