Lion mauls wildlife official in Faisalabad during rescue operation

FAISALABAD: A wildlife official was seriously injured when a lion attacked a team from the Punjab Wildlife Department in Faisalabad’s Jaranwala Road area during a rescue operation.

Officials said the team had reached Jalvi Market Darbar after reports of lions in the area. A lion confined inside a cage suddenly lunged at one of the officials, mauling him. The team retreated without capturing the animal, and the injured member was shifted to Civil Hospital in critical condition.

The incident adds to rising concerns over privately owned big cats in Punjab. In Lahore last week, two separate incidents saw pet lions attack children, prompting a province-wide crackdown by authorities.

Wildlife officials said operations in Lahore, Multan, Jhelum, and other districts have recovered 59 lions and many tigers so far, with cases registered against their owners. Private wildlife breeding farms had previously been given deadlines to upgrade cages and facilities in line with departmental standards; the ongoing enforcement follows the expiry of that deadline.