Hey explorers, this is the audio companion episode for the Animal Rescue Adventures journal. I'm Steph, and today we're leaving the ocean behind and heading summer with golden grass, hot sunshine, and the most powerful animal in the African savanna. Can you roar for me? Like your biggest, loudest, most amazing roar. Ready? Two, three, one, roar! Incredible. You sound just like today's rescue animal. A lion. Lions, even the word sounds powerful, right? Today we're meeting Simba, and he has one of the most incredible rescue stories we've ever told. But first, let's get to know lions. Because there are some seriously wild facts about these amazing cats that most grown-ups don't even know. A lion's roar can be heard five miles away. That's like standing in our kitchen and hearing a sound from five miles down the road. Lions sleep up to 20 hours a day. They are the laziest of all the big cats. Imagine sleeping that long. Lions are the only big cats that live in a family group called prize. All the other big cats live alone. The mama lions called lionesses do most of the hunting. Girl power. Baby lions called Cubs are born with spots that fade as they grow. There are only about 20,000 wild lions left on Earth. That's fewer than the number than the number of people in a small town. 20,000. That's why stories like Simba's matter so much now. For Simba's story. And I want you to really listen to this part because it might make you feel a little sad at first, but I promise it has a beautiful ending. Simba was born into captivity. That means he was born in a cage, not in the wild. He ended up at a roadside zoo. Do you know what a roadside zoo is? It's a place that keeps animals sometimes in tiny dark spaces where people pay to look at them. Simba had a cage so small he could barely turn around. He had never felt grass under his paws. He had never even seen the real sky with real stars. He didn't have friends. He didn't have a pride. He was alone. When the team from Carolina Tiger Rescue arrived, Simba was scared of everything, even grass. He lived in a small dark space for so long that open sky and fresh air were completely strange and frightening to him. Earning his trust took enormous patience. The rescue team moved slowly. They talked softly. They sat near his enclosure for hours without pushing him, just so he could get used to them. Animals that have been through hard times need extra gentleness. They need to learn slowly that people can be kind. And one day, Simba took a step outside. He felt grass for the very first time. He lifted his enormous head, sniffed the air, and in a moment that made every rescue worker cry happy tears, he let out a slow, long breath like he'd be holding it for years. At Carolina Tiger Rescue in Pittsburgh, North Carolina, Simba got a huge grassy habitat with trees, warm sunshine every day, and people who genuinely loved him. He learned that not all humans are scary. And he started to roar, not in fear, but in pure, joyful lion energy. Explorer, here's your lion mission. Are you with me? Never visit a roadside zoo or a place where you can pay to hold or hug big cats. These places hurt animals like Simba. Ask a grown-up to take you to a real accredited animal sanctuary. Places like Carolina Tiger Rescue, where animals are truly cared for. Teach your friends the difference between a good zoo, one that protects animals, and a bad zoo, one that treats them like attractions. Go to Carolina Tiger Rescue.org to learn more and even adopt or sponsor a lion. Simba feels warm sunshine on his fur every single day now. He has space to roam, food he loves, and people who think he is the most magnificent creature they've ever seen. He is the king, not because of his size or his roar, but because he survived. He trusted again and he chose Joy. Be like Simba Explorer. Be brave, be bold, and never stop roaring for what's right. I'm Steph. This is Animal Rescue Adventures. We'll see you next time.