Dubai: A one-year-old lioness that had escaped from its owner’s home in Al Barsha 2 on Thursday evening was caught by patrols from Al Barsha police station around 7pm, authorities confirmed.
Colonel Yusuf Al Odaidi, Director of Al Barsha Police Station, said they received a call from one of the area’s residents saying that there was a lion cub hiding behind the fence of a house.
Patrols were dispatched and they caught the lioness. No one was harmed in the process.
Police spoke to people in the area and were able to identify the feline’s owner, who lived in one of the villas in the area.
Al Barsha police are investigating the incident.
Col Al Odaidi said that it is illegal to own wild animals, except under certain rules, which include having a permit and keeping the animal in a secure and isolated area.
The lioness is now under the custody of Dubai Zoo where it is recuperating, authorities confirmed on Friday.
Speaking to Gulf News, Dr Reza Khan, wildlife specialist with Dubai Municipality, said that the cub was still in shock after its capture on Thursday night, which took place at around 7pm.
“This type of behaviour is normal and to be expected, because the incident was traumatic for the cub. Police and the municipality’s animal handlers were involved in capturing it, and lured it into the cage with food and water,” said Dr Khan.
Zoo handlers working alongside Dr Khan said the African lioness appeared to be disturbed by the whole episode and that they would wait for a detailed examination of the animal until later. “We will take the weight and length once she settles. Although she is tame, we do not want to make her more nervous than she already is.”
The female cub was sent to Dubai Zoo at around 10:45am on Friday and, after an initial check-up, was found to still have all its claws “but possibly missing the canine teeth”.
When asked about details on the animal’s health, Dr Khan replied that while it is in a healthy and stable condition, it will need a few days to get accustomed to the zoo environment and its keepers.
Over the next few days, Dr Khan will carry out veterinary check-ups, as well as take blood and stool samples to find out more about its health condition.
“Outwardly, she is looking good but is still nervous, which is natural. I think she will fare well under the care of the zoo keepers and our vet,” he said.
Keeping endangered or threatened wildlife is illegal under UAE federal laws.
The latest incident follows a spate of sightings of exotic big cats in recent years across Dubai.
In some cases, domesticated big cats have been witnessed riding in cars in the Jumeirah area of Dubai.
Dubai Customs works to prevent the import of African animals into the city for use as exotic pets.
