Sasha and King, two African lions that the Venezuelan Environment Ministry rescued from a circus, will have a new home in the Caricuao Zoo, southwest of the nation's capital. ''Sasha was neutered and King only has claws in his forepaws. They were being mistreated and were kept in cages just two by three meters big, when they need a minimum space of 50 square meters,'' zoo director Salvador Boher told Tierramérica.

Both cats are three years old and, after being quarantined in the veterinary hospital, they weigh more than 100 kilos. But ''when we brought them here they were practically cadavers. They saw meat but didn't know what it was. In the circus they were fed only chicken feet,'' Boher said.

When lions reach adulthood, at age five, they can weigh as much as 180 kilos. The environmental authorities have not determined where the big cats came from, and are studying how much to fine the circus executives for allowing the mistreatment to occur.