Dubai: Stronger and mobile, the young rescued African lion cubs are walking around, curious to look behind every door and corner.
After 10 days of veterinary care, the two cubs — which were for sale on the black market and were offered to Gulf News despite their ill-health — are able to stand, walk and even run.
These lions are a threatened, but not endangered species, whose trade is only allowed if it is closely regulated and monitored by international laws such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites).
Posing as a buyer, Gulf News was offered the two cubs, which an Egyptian lion trainer said were around five months old. The lion trainer claimed to be in the UAE for a circus scheduled for Abu Dhabi and Fujairah.
Denies connections
The Egyptian-Russian-European circus now in Abu Dhabi has denied connection to the lion trainer-salesman, Mamdouh Al Helou.
A clinic in Jumeirah took the cubs in for treatment after the Ministry of Environment and Water confiscated them in a raid on the owner's premises last Friday.
The cubs were being housed in wooden crates amongst shipping containers, labour accommodation and construction sites in Dhaid, more than 100km from Dubai. Two lionesses, two lions and a tiger were also housed in crates.
A wildlife vet at the clinic said a report and recommendations for the cubs have been handed over to the ministry.
"They are well enough not to need 24-hour care any more. They are not on any medication, just good food and supplements," he said.
The smaller cub arrived in the clinic weighing 15.6 kilogrammes and yesterday weighed in at 19.5 kilogrammes.
His older companion originally weighed 23.4kg, and now weighs 26.9kg.
"Buying an animal is cheap. Maintaining the animal...is more expensive and the problem is, some people would rather just get a new animal when the one they have gets sick and needs medical care," said the vet.
