Rescued lion cub finds new home at İzmir wildlife park

İZMİR

A 10-month-old lion cub, rescued from a private farm in the western province of İzmir, has been placed under protection at the İzmir Municipality’s Nature Life Park.

Confiscated during a raid by security forces, the cub was handed over to the government agency responsible for wildlife protection before being transferred to a wildlife facility for rehabilitation.

Officials determined that the young male lion had been kept in improper conditions and fed only cat food, leading to severe nutritional deficiencies.

Upon arrival at the park, the cub, weighing 62 kilograms, was placed under quarantine for a month. Veterinary teams formulated a specialized diet and administered medical treatments to strengthen his immune system.

Speaking on the cub’s recovery, İzmir Municipality Deputy Sectretary-General Pınar Okyay explained the animal’s condition upon rescue.

“He was confined in an enclosed space and suffered from rickets due to improper nutrition. Our veteriarians identified bone and leg deformities caused by malnutrition.”

However, thanks to dedicated care, the cub has shown significant improvement.

“Initially, he could only go outsşde under veterinary supervision, but he now explores his habitat independently,” Okyay said.

A dedicated living space has been created for the cub within the wildlife park, with his diet adjusted to include red meat, dry food and chicken broth in the mornings and afternoons, with boiled chicken breast and dry food provided in the evenings.

Having never been exposed to a proper carnivorous diet before, the transition is being closely monitored by experts.

Okyay shared that reintegration into the wild is no longer an option for the cub, but he will live in an environment that closely mimics his natural habitat.

As the young lion adapts to his new home, the municipality has announced plans to conduct a naming poll, allowing residents to choose the young lion’s name.