A lion cub was reported missing from the Lahore Safari Park Lion House on Wednesday, under mysterious circumstances. Wildlife Department Deputy Director Chaudhry Riaz confirmed the news. According to him, the keeper of the Lion House came on duty at midnight on Tuesday, but by 6am (Wednesday), the six-week old lion cub could not be seen anywhere. Riaz said the lioness was not feeding the cub and it was being hand fed.
When the feed for the morning came, the cub was no where to be seen, he added. Riaz said he had no idea how the cub could have disappeared and the administration was basing the missing report on what the keeper told them. “While it is almost impossible to get inside the Lion House and steal the cub, we are not putting aside the idea. It could very well have been an insider’s job. In fact the suspect (caretaker) is still in our custody,” said Riaz.
A first information report was lodged against the caretaker with Wildlife Department as the complainant. Biodiversity Director Uzma Khan said the location of the Lion House, lack of security staff and poor netting on some boundaries was causing such problems.
