A lion, just a few months old, was taken to a zoo in northern Serbia on Thursday after it was seen wandering a local street, officials and media reported.
The female cub, found on the outskirts of Subotica, a town near the border with Hungary, was malnourished and weak, said Sonia Madic, from Palic Zoo.
Local media reported that a resident of Subotica spotted the cub on the street and called the police, who then took it to the zoo. A video on social media shows the cub emerging from the grass and onto the street.
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A man holds a month-old lion cub after it was found wandering on a local street near Subotica, Serbia, on September 21, 2023. (www.subotica.com via AP)
Reports also said the cub was friendly and not afraid of humans. A police officer and local residents can be seen in other videos and photos petting the cub.
Madic said the lion was in “pretty bad shape” and was being treated and injected to improve its condition.
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“He could be 3 to 6 months old or 5 to 6, but he’s malnourished and probably underdeveloped,” Madic said.
Police have yet to issue an official statement. The smuggling of wild and rare animals is believed to be widespread in the Balkan region.
