What Stichting Leeuw does

Stichting Leeuw is a Dutch non-profit foundation founded on 26 October 2011 and designated as a Public Benefit Organisation (ANBI) by the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration, headquartered on the Landgoed Hoenderdaell estate in Anna Paulowna, Netherlands. It operates the first Dutch sanctuary specifically for rescued European-born big cats, providing rescue, quarantine, rehabilitation, and permanent care for lions and tigers sourced from circuses, war zones, and private ownership. The foundation has successfully relocated 20+ lions and 3 tigers to its sister sanctuary, The Lions Foundation, at the 700-acre Schrikkloof Private Nature Reserve in South Africa, where animals can be returned to a more natural habitat. The organization operates with approximately 20 staff and a volunteer board led by Chairman P.H. Kruijff and Daily Manager R.P.M. Kruijff.

The foundation's core technical infrastructure centers on animal welfare: a natural fence design (validated by behavioral research showing reduced stereotypical behavior in lions and tigers compared to traditional enclosures), a hunting simulator for behavioral enrichment, and a dedicated quarantine facility. Educational programs — including the Tiger Workshop, education gallery, and Backstage tours — inform visitors about threats to wild felines such as photo cub tourism, canned hunting, and the tiger bone trade. The foundation also conducts in-situ conservation work, notably the Lion Lights program and park ranger training in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park to protect West African lions.

Revenue derives from four streams: (1) donations, inheritances, and bequests from individual supporters; (2) visitor admissions bundled with Dierenpark Hoenderdaell zoo tickets; (3) a tiered animal adoption subscription program starting at €12.50/month or €150/year with perks including annual zoo passes and Donor Day invitations; and (4) project-specific grants from institutional funders including Stichting DierenLot, Stichting Eywa Provides, Stichting Van Klooster, and Stichting Jaap van der Graaf. The eco-tourism business at Schrikkloof (lodge accommodations, nature drives, big cat feeding experiences distributed via Booking.com and All for Nature Travel) extends the funding base. Recent milestones include a June 2026 evacuation of three lions from war-affected Ukraine and the construction of a new serval shelter triggered by the July 2024 Dutch exotic pet ban.

Name

Stichting Leeuw

Legal name

Stichting Leeuw

Website

https://stichtingleeuw.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Stichting Leeuw is a Dutch non-profit foundation operating a big cat rescue sanctuary in Anna Paulowna, Netherlands, with a sister facility in South Africa, serving rescued lions and tigers from circuses, war zones, and private ownership through rehabilitation and adoption-supported funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Sanctuary & Animal Rescue Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

akta.pro primary industry

Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA), Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB)

Keywords

• Big cat rescue
• Wildlife sanctuary
• Animal welfare
• Feline conservation
• Exotic animal care

Headquarters

HQ city

Anna Paulowna

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and charitable contributions: General donations from supporters, inheritances and bequests, and grants from organizations like Stichting DierenLot, Stichting Eywa Provides, Stichting Van Klooster, and Stichting Jaap van der Graaf.
2. Visitor admissions: Visit to Stichting Leeuw is included in the price of admission to Dierenpark Hoenderdaell.
3. Animal adoption program: Monthly or annual adoption fees starting at €12.50/month or €150/year, with additional benefits including adoption certificates, passports, annual passes, and donor day invitations.
4. Sponsorships and grants: Funding from sponsors and project-specific grants for initiatives like the serval shelter construction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stichting Leeuw is a Dutch non-profit foundation that rescues big cats (lions, tigers, servals) from emergency situations including circuses, war zones, and private ownership. Animals are sheltered, rehabilitated, and provided permanent care at its sanctuary in Anna Paulowna, Netherlands, or relocated to its sister facility The Lions Foundation in South Africa.

Product overview

Stichting Leeuw operates a single-location big cat rescue and shelter in the Netherlands, providing a unified animal welfare service. The core offering is the rescue and rehabilitation of big cats from harmful situations, with permanent placement at its sister facility The Lions Foundation in South Africa. Related services include educational programs (Tiger Workshop, education gallery), behavioral research, enrichment tools (hunting simulator), and the Backstage visitor experience. Animal adoption offers supporters a personal connection to specific rescued animals. The Lions Foundation in South Africa and Schrikkloof Private Nature Reserve extend the mission with permanent African habitats and eco-tourism accommodations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Big Cat Rescue and Shelter Rescue, quarantine, rehabilitation, and permanent shelter service for big cats (lions, tigers) sourced from circuses, war zones, and private ownership in Europe, with eventual relocation to The Lions Foundation in South Africa.
• Animal Adoption Program
• Backstage Program
• Tiger Workshop
• Schrikkloof Private Nature Reserve

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ lions and 3 tigers successfully relocated to South Africa
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Lions FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2011Sister sanctuary established by Stichting Leeuw in South Africa at Schrikkloof Private Nature Reserve. Provides permanent rehabilitation homes for rescued big cats that can be returned to their natural habitat. First lions were relocated in May 2015.
• Dierenpark HoenderdaellcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 October 2011Dutch zoo where Stichting Leeuw is located on the Landgoed Hoenderdaell estate. Visitors to the zoo can also visit the big cat sanctuary. Adoptive parents receive free annual passes to the zoo.
• Schrikkloof Private Nature ReservecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner700-acre estate in South Africa housing The Lions Foundation. Offers accommodations (lodge with suites and chalets), nature drives, and big cat feeding experiences. Revenue from stays directly supports animal care.
• Niokolo-Koba Nationaal Park (Senegal)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNESCO World Heritage site in Senegal where Stichting Leeuw supports West African lion conservation through Lion Lights program, park ranger training, and documentary production.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Born Free Foundation: UK-based wildlife charity operating big cat sanctuaries and conservation programs. Comparable mission around rescued captive big cats and ethical wildlife protection, with a strong European donor base overlap.
• AAP Primaten / AAP Stichting: Dutch sanctuary and rehoming organization for exotic animals including primates and other non-domestic species. Closest Dutch geographic peer for exotic animal rescue, rehabilitation, and rehoming operations.
• FOUR PAWS: International animal welfare organization that operates FELIDA, a big cat sanctuary in the Netherlands focused on rescuing big cats from circuses and private ownership. Highly comparable to Stichting Leeuw in mission, geography, and beneficiary animals.
• Lions Tigers & Bears: US-based big cat sanctuary rescuing captive big cats from private owners, roadside zoos, and the exotic pet trade. Operates a similar rescue, rehabilitation, and permanent care model for lions and tigers.
• The Wildcat Sanctuary: Minnesota-based non-profit sanctuary dedicated to rescuing captive wild cats including tigers, lions, and smaller exotic felids. Directly comparable in operating a permanent care facility for surrendered big cats.

Others

• Stichting DierenLot: Dutch animal welfare funding organization and one of Stichting Leeuw's named financial partners (co-funding the serval shelter construction). Relevant as a key funder and as a representative of the Dutch animal welfare grant ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Global wildlife and conservation NGO with significant work on big cat species and habitat preservation. Overlaps with Stichting Leeuw's conservation advocacy mission but operates at a vastly larger scale and does not focus on captive rescue.
• Panthera: Global wild cat conservation organization focused on protecting wild big cat populations in their natural habitats. Larger and broader than Stichting Leeuw, but shares the big cat welfare mission and overlaps on conservation programs such as the Senegal West African lion work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stichting-leeuw

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stichting Leeuw