New law to regulate big cat population

The Punjab government has introduced new legislation aimed at controlling the rising population of lions and other big cats in the province.

Under the new law, sterilisation and registration of big cats will be mandatory, and strict measures will be enforced to regulate their breeding and trade.

According to the Director General of Punjab Wildlife, Mudassir Riaz Malik, the law requires all big cats—including lions, tigers, pumas, cheetahs, and jaguars—to be registered, with a fee of Rs50,000 per animal.

Owners failing to comply will have their animals confiscated. The sale and purchase of lions and their cubs have been completely banned, and gifting these animals is no longer permitted.

Any individuals found recording or uploading videos with big cats on social media will face legal action.

To curb the trend of keeping big cats as pets, the government has introduced a phase-out plan.

Owners will be given 15 days to declare their animals, followed by additional time to complete the registration process. Once registered, big cats must be housed in accordance with government-approved standards. The legislation also imposes restrictions on breeding.

Breeding farms exceeding a certain population limit will not be allowed to sell lions, and instead, surplus animals will be donated to zoos or wildlife sanctuaries.