The Sindh Wildlife Department shifted a lion that managed to escape from its owners custody on Sharea Faisal a day earlier to the Karachi Zoological Garden . Five suspects were booked for allegedly keeping the animal in their custody . The owner of the lion identified as Shamsul Haq was taken into custody along with four houseworkers by the police .
The animal was later caught with the help of its keepers and handed over to the wildlife department . According to Sindh Chief Wildlife Conservator Javed Mahar the wild animal was a pet . Sindh is the first province in the country to enact a new wildlife law three years ago .
Under the act the lawful possession of any wildlife species has been attached with several stringent conditions . For instance lawfully possessing exotic big cats is attached with conditions including one under which the owner is required to get the DNA certification for the animal which can only be done at a handful of institutes across the country .
The case will be heard by a trial court at the District and Sessions Courts Karachi South. The case would be heard at the D-Sindh Wildlife Protection Preservation Conservation and Management Act . The law also bars citizens from keeping big cats in residential areas and an applicant must acquire a noobjection certificate from the relevant union council town committee and cantonment board and a no objection certificate to keep big cats.
The permit also bars people from keeping large cats in the area and an application for an applicant . The Act is also prohibited from keeping them in residential . The lion has now been removed from the zoo. The animal has been moved to the Zoo. The incident was described as ‘unlawful possession of large quantities of food and vegetables.
The lion was found to be in its enclosure.
