A
young male lion caught in a snare which slowly tightened around his
neck as he grew older survived for three years as the siblings in his
pride kept him alive by bringing him back prey they had hunted.
The lion was first spotted trapped in the snare in Mikumi National park in Tanzania back in 2009 but
about seven attempts of vets to tranquilise and rescue him failed.
After three years, the cord had become
so tightly wrapped around the lion's neck that he was left unable to
hunt and his gaping wound attracted flies and infection. But, eventually
the lion was found by park rangers in August and vets managed to sedate
him and cut away the electrical wire snare.
According
to William Mwakilema, Chief Park Warden in Mikumi National Park, by the
time he was found he was so weak he was unable to hunt. He said that
it's unusual situation because it is natural for pride to kill weak male
lions instead of keeping him alive by sharing the food.
William Mwakilema, chief park warden
in Mikumi National Park, Tanzania, pictured holding the snare which was
slowly garroting a young lion.
The
rescued lion has recently been spotted in the park at night after six
days of searching. The wound has started to heal and a mane was growing
over his back and shoulders.
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