A young man was seriously injured after trying to make a TikTok video with a caged lion at a breeding farm in Lahore.
The incident took place at Mian Umar Dola’s breeding facility in Sabzazar area where Azim approached the caged lion to film a video, Express News reported.
But the lion suddenly attacked him and caused injuries to his face, shoulder and arm. The injured man was taken to Jinnah Hospital where he received medical treatment.
Following the attack, the Director General of Punjab Wildlife issued an order revoking the license of the breeding farm and directed legal action against the person responsible.
A spokesman for the Punjab Wildlife Department stated that the directorate general had ordered the cancellation of the breeding farm’s license and called for strict action against the owner.
A few days ago, the Punjab Cabinet approved amendments to the Department of Forests and Wildlife regulations, marking a crucial step in the conservation of big cats and the protection of forest resources.
Under the new amendments, lions, cheetahs, tigers, cougars and jaguars have been added to Schedule II of the Wildlife Act 1974, making it illegal to keep these animals as pets.
From now on, a license will be required to maintain these big cats in breeding farms, with the Punjab Wildlife Department overseeing the licensing process.
The fee for keeping a big cat will be fixed at Rs 50,000.
In addition, there are specific requirements for cage sizes and open areas for these animals.
To prevent exploitation, the promotion of big cats on platforms such as TikTok and other social media will be banned, with violators facing legal consequences.
Senior Minister Maryam Aurangzeb stressed that under no circumstances will big cats be allowed in urban areas, although they can be kept outside the city limits.
Owners will be given a deadline to relocate their animals, after which legal action will be taken against those who do not comply.
The cabinet also introduced amendments to the Punjab Forest Transit Rules 2024, which will establish checkpoints at strategic locations to combat illegal logging.
Transportation of forest products between sunset and sunrise will be considered illegal and forest officers will be empowered to close depots and impose fines for any violations.
