African lion rescued from circus owner’s farm house
August 13th, 2009 - 11:30 pm ICT by IANSMuzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh), Aug 13 (IANS) An African lion kept in a farm house of a former owner of a circus here will be shifted a Jaipur rehabilitation centre after the owner said he was unable to care for the big cat any more.
Rajiv Gupta, who once owned the Asian Circus, had been keeping the animal for the last seven years.
The lion was rescued from the farm house in the presence of the district forest officer, district magistrate and district police chief.
Arrangements were being finalised to transport the animal to a Jaipur based rehabilitation centre, said chief conservator of forests A.K. Dwivedi.
Due to his personal financial constraints, the circus owner requested the forest department to take the lion to a rehabilitation centre.
Dwivedi said Gupta had three African lions.
Two of the lions - male and female - from the vulnerable species died naturally.
The circus owner had received an interim relief from the Allahabad High Court to keep the big cat even as the matter was in the court.
He had earlier received a notice from the wildlife department after a Delhi High Court ordered that wild animals cannot be exhibited for entertainment.
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