Criminal trade in lion cubs is rife in Cape Town, say nature conservation officials.
CapeNature spokesperson Loren Pavitt said the organisation was investigating “multiple criminal cases regarding the suspected illegal import, transport, trade and possession of lion cubs in the greater Cape Town area”.
Pavitt was responding to questions from TimesLIVE after police said they had rescued a lion cub from a house in Athlone on Wednesday. The cub was handed over to CapeNature by officers from the police stock theft unit in Kuils River.
Pavitt said: “Investigations are ongoing and therefore we cannot comment on any of the details.”
She would not say where the lion cub was being kept.
“Any lions found during the course of the investigation will be managed in accordance with our provincial protocol, which is based on international best practice,” she said.
Drakenstein Lion Park in Paarl, a sanctuary for captive-born lions, said it had not been asked to help with the cub.
Western Cape police spokesperson Sgt Noloyiso Rwexana said the cub had come from Limpopo. READ MORE…
TimesLIVE