Watch: Zookeeper Warns Naxxar Lions And Panthers Won’t Survive In The Wild
Zookeeper Anton Rea Cutajar has highlighted the conditions in which four lions and a panther were found in Naxxar, but warned that these animals are unlikely to survive if released into the wild.
“I don’t know who these cats belong to and I don’t care, but the owner was very wrong to leave four felines in such a small space. It is very worrying,” the L-Arka ta’ Noe owner said.
However, Cutajar urged people not to call for these cats to be “sent back to the wild” as they would be unlikely to survive after life in captivity.
“You cannot simply place a captive lion, leopard or any big cat into the wild. They won’t live. Its like sending an Aborigine to a luxurious hotel in New York or someone from New York into the jungle.”
He said that while rehab centres exist to integrate captive animals into the wild, their chances of survival are still “once in a blue moon”.
The zookeeper went on to urge people not to purchase exotic big cats.
“You might ask me why I bought them myself, but if it were up to me now I wouldn’t buy them and there would only be farm animals at L-Arka ta’ Noe. But I wanted a tiger back then and I decided to raise one.”
What should happen to the Naxxar lions and panther?
READ NEXT: Stop Addressing Nation As ‘Maltin U Għawdxin’, Franco Debono Urges Politicians
