REPORT: Lion and two tigers smuggled into country rescued by Animals Lebanon

           
A lioness and two tigers were taken into custody by an animal charity, Animals Lebanon, on Thursday in the Chouf region of Mount Lebanon, where they were being held in a private zoo.          

The lioness is six years old while the two tigers are four and eight years old and were smuggled into Lebanon.        

The animals will now be flown to Tonga Terre D'Accueil sanctuary in Lyon, France.       

This is the first rescue in Lebanon in which wild cats such as these have been sent abroad.            

"Over the last year, quite a few of these animals have died very horrific deaths here, you see them just falling apart and it is really sad to see that  these majestic animals have been smuggled in just to be neglected and dying," said Jason Mier, executive director of charity 'Animals Lebanon'.       

Lebanon is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an international agreement to ensure that trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.


AP/LBCI


To watch Rita Khoury's report, please click on the video above.