[FEL-L] Lion found in Gaza drug dealer's den

[BigCatSimba at aol.com]

Last updated at 16:41pm on 9th July 2007
 
Even animals with large teeth and claws do not fare well in the volatile Gaza 
Strip. 
 
Malnourished, declawed and missing some of her teeth and the tip of her tail, 
Sabrina the lion was returned to the Gaza Zoo on Monday after Hamas fighters 
rescued her from thieves who stole her two years ago. 
 
Zoo officials said the animal's captors had been drug dealers, using Sabrina 
as a prop, charging people five shekels ($1.20) to be photographed with her. 
 
"The (thieves) had cut off the end of her tail, the black hair that is 
considered to be the symbol of pride of African lions. I am very sad for her. 
 
"She must have felt very humiliated," said zoo veterinarian Saoud al-Shawa. 
 
Sabrina was stolen at riflepoint two years ago from the facility soon after 
she and her brother Sakher were brought to Gaza from Egypt as cubs. 
 
She was found during a Hamas raid on the hideout of a notorious drug ring. 
 
Militiamen found the 2-year-old lion - as well as drugs and a weapons cache 
that were the target of the raid - after exchanging fire with the gunmen. 
 
Shawa said her captors had declawed her and extracted some of her teeth. 
 
"Sabrina is very tired and very sick," he said. "I do not think her teeth 
will come in again, so we'll have to feed her minced meat and give her medicine." 
 
Zoo officials said brother Sakher had roared inconsolably when his sister was 
stolen. Reunited, he nuzzled her neck and the two siblings began to play. 
 
Sakher, who had avoided capture by resisting the gunmen, playfully swatted 
his sister in the face and they chased each other. 
 
When a zoo guard tried to pet Sabrina, Sakher crouched as if ready to pounce 
on him. 
 
In the West Bank town of Qalqiliya, three zebras died of tear gas inhalation 
several years ago during a violent riot against Israeli security forces. A 
giraffe was also killed there during the fighting. 
 
Later that year, the West Bank zoo received a gift of three lions, two zebras 
and three ibexes from Israel. 
 
_http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article
_id=467258&in_page_id=1811&ito=1490_ 
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=467258&in_page_id=1811&ito=1490) 




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