She's a Bermudian in the UK, helping to raise money to rescue lions in Romania some of which have never even trodden on grass.

Three years ago, 35-year-old Jessica Riederer left the Island to work with native animals in Australia. Then last November she took a position at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, in northern UK, as their Educational Officer.

The Park is now at the centre of a worldwide campaign to rescue 14 lions ranging in age from 27 to just 18 months caged in awful conditions in a Romanian zoo and has set aside ten acres of land for the animals if they can be moved.

First though, they need to raise $150,000 to cover the cost of moving and caring for the lions and Miss Riederer said: "If these animals cannot be rescued, they will have to be put down."

The Romanian zoo, called Oradea, where the animals have lived caged for 24 hours a day, many since birth, is not able to properly care for them due to a lack of funding.

"The lions are being housed in cages that are so small the animals are unable to exercise, much less run. The facility is poorly constructed and even falling down in some parts. There is a lack of money for food and repairs. The cages have concrete floors," added Miss Riederer.

"It is crazy to imagine that one of the lions, Johnny, is 27 years old and has lived in a cage his entire life. He's never run. He's never walked on grass or laid in the sun," she said.

The campaign was launched two weeks ago and already thousands of dollars have been pledged, but Miss Riederer admits there's still a long way to go.

But If the money can be raised these lions lives will be changed forever. She said: "For the first time they will be able to walk on grass. They will be able to run, leap and play, as well as experience stimulating sights, sounds and smells.

"It is unbelievable that today animals can still be kept in this way, but while most accredited zoos have progressed far beyond keeping animals such as magnificent lions in cages, this zoo has been unable to improve its animal enclosures because of lack of funding.

"The staff at Oradea love their animals and desperately want the best for them."

A former employee at Dolphin Quest, then a teacher at Somerset Primary school, Miss Riederer was raised in an animal-friendly household. Her dad Peter always supported her love of animals, and her mum, Madeline Riederer was involved with horses since she was a child.

Miss Riederer said: "I am very fortunate to have grown up in a household that always had animals — everything from tortoises to guinea pigs and of course cats, dogs and horses."

She explained: "What I love about Yorkshire Wildlife Park is that all of our animals are kept in fantastic, large enclosures.

"It is really important to me that animals are kept in the best conditions possible and that is why I am so keen to see these animals be put into an environment where they can act like lions."

She continued: "By saving these lions we are not solving the problems of millions of other animals throughout the world being kept in poor, unacceptable conditions, but we are greatly improving the lives of one group of lions.

"I am proud to be part of this massive effort and I pray that people throughout the world continue to support this rescue."

She encourages people to support the cause and go to www.lionrescue.co.uk to donate.

l Those looking for more information can visit www.yorkshirewildlifepark.co.uk or email c.williams@ywlp.com.