11 illegally kept lions recovered from Lahore’s Nawan Kot area

Keeping big cats without a licence can result in a fine of up to Rs5 million, imprisonment for up to seven years

LAHORE:

The recovery of 11 illegally kept lions from Lahore’s Nawan Kot area has raised serious questions about the performance and monitoring mechanisms of the Punjab Wildlife Rangers. Under wildlife laws, the keeping of big cats in urban residential areas is strictly prohibited.

The operation came to light after a lioness attacked and injured a young girl in Nawan Kot. After the incident, the suspects fled the scene along with the lioness. However, they were arrested within a few hours. Subsequent action led to the recovery of a total of 11 lions from a factory in the area, including five females, three males and three cubs.

Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Lahore Adnan Wirk said all the recovered big cats have been taken into custody and shifted to Lahore Safari Park. He added that a case has been registered against the suspects for keeping big cats without a licence.

Sources claimed that the lions had been shifted from Sheikhupura to Lahore some time ago and were being kept secretly. However, Adnan Wirk said it has not yet been confirmed whether the animals were actually brought from Sheikhupura.

Read: Crackdown on big cats triggers financial losses to individuals associated with the trade in Punjab

According to wildlife officials, keeping big cats without a licence can result in a fine of up to Rs5 million and imprisonment for up to seven years. The annual registration fee for one big cat has been fixed at Rs50,000.

Punjab Wildlife Rangers launched a registration campaign for big cats last year, during which 34 illegally kept big cats were recovered from Lahore and other districts. During the same period, hobby breeders declared 587 big cats for registration.

Interestingly, the formal registration process for big cats has not yet been initiated in Punjab. However, breeders and farmers who declared big cats were directed to develop their breeding centres and farmhouses in accordance with prescribed wildlife rules.