The lion cub, which was found in Budva after several days of searching, will be examined today by veterinary specialists from the Netherlands and Germany, after which a decision will be made on where it will be taken care of.
This was announced yesterday by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"We are close to a solution for more adequate housing for the cub while it is in Montenegro. So far so good and has a real lion's appetite. Detailed information will be available to the public tomorrow after a scheduled examination by a veterinarian specializing in lions who came to Montenegro from the Netherlands and Germany," they announced on Facebook.
The agency was the day before, on the topic of taking care of the lion from Budva, on the initiative of the director Milan Gazdić, organized a meeting with representatives of the Center for the Protection and Study of Birds of Montenegro, the civil sector, the Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism and representatives of the Agency.
Then they announced that the cub was temporarily housed in Podgorica, but also that, as it is a wild animal, that accommodation is not considered adequate for its further stay, and that a permanent solution must be found.
"Several options for short-term and long-term accommodation of lions are being considered with the aim of transferring them to a shelter in Africa, and later in EU countries," the Agency announced on Friday.
Ornithologist Darko Saveljic he said that the costs of permanent treatment could amount to several tens of thousands of euros.
"If no reliable donors can be found. We, the citizens, will pay for that," he announced on Facebook.
A lion cub went missing at the end of January in Pobori, above Budva. On Thursday, after a search involving Budva firefighters, hunters and locals, CZIP, as well as the Protection Society from Pristina, was found in an old house on the way to the village of Krapina.
The Environmental Protection Agency informed the Directorate for Inspection Affairs (UIP) about the lion on January 21.
"We are informing you that through Instagram we found out that someone in Budva, in an apartment, is keeping a lion cub. As this is an animal that will become dangerous for the environment in a few months, we are asking for an immediate inspection... The question is how the lion cub entered Montenegro, given that we have not issued a permit for this type of animal before." , among other things, is stated in the request, along with the request for an inspection report.
The UIP, i.e. ecological inspection, told "Vijesta" that they delivered the notification to the Police Directorate, i.e. the Podgorica Security Center, on January 27 - six days after the request sent to them from the Agency.
Related Articles
They also said that on January 31, members of the Police Administration gave information to the environmental inspection that they were carrying out certain activities on the territory of the Municipality of Budva.
The UIP also reminded that the wild animal species Panthera leo (lion) is protected by the CITES convention.
"In addition to the national regulations, the provisions of this convention must also be respected in the trade of individuals of this species", said the inspection.
Bonus video:
