There are many restrictions that every person living in Kuwait has to abide to. And while not very common, this includes the ownership of wild animals in the city which has been a topic on the news recently. Kuwaiti authorities have captured a runaway lion in the Kabd region last Aug. 22 (Wednesday), as shared in report by the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
The deputy director general of Kuwait Livestock Authority Ali Al-Gattan shared in a statement that upon notification of the Ministry of Interior, authorities were immediately sent to the site where the lion was spotted and captured it in a short period of time before it was handed over to zoo personnel.
Authorities Capture Escaped Lion in Kuwait Residential Area
According to Al-Gattan, the lion might have escaped from its owner who may have been keeping it as a pet.
And while the owner of the animal has not been identified yet, authorities will work closely with the Interior Ministry to identify the person responsible for the escaped animal.
Al-Gattan further explained that legal procedures will be taken against the owner of the animal because Kuwaiti laws do not allow raising wild animals in residential areas where they are generally considered a threat to the safety of the people.
In the meantime, the Interior Ministry had issued a statement reassuring the public that the lion, which appeared in videos on various social media platforms, has already been taken into safety and is under control, as procedures to summon its owner are being enacted by concerned authorities.
Officials from the Public Security, the Environmental Police, and the Al-Najdah police immediately secured the area where the lion was located roaming freely.
Based on Article 101 of the Environmental Protection Law and its amendments, violators in cases such as this may be put behind bars for up to three years and be slapped with a KD 50 fine.
Here is a video of the lion seen roaming freely in a residential area in Kuwait posted on YouTube: