Kabul lion on the mend as mercy team moves in

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Kabul lion on the mend as mercy team moves in

 

Marjan, the one-eyed lion of Kabul, is on the road to

recovery after action from animal welfare campaigners.

 

Animal disaster relief teams are working in Kabul as

part of an international mercy mission for the animal

victims of the conflict.

 

Marjan, a gift from the German government in more

tranquil times, has endured a tough regime in

Afghanistan Zoo and survived years of conflict.

 

He has been attacked by the Taliban and lost an eye

after a grenade was thrown into his cage.

 

The World Society for the Protection of Animals teams,

backed by international efforts, have brought food and

medical aid to Marjan.

 

They are also helping other creatures, including

Donatella, the zoo's Asiatic black bear, who lost part

of its nose when it was attacked.

 

Marjan has been given antibiotics and deworming

medicines and his condition is slowly improving. The

relief teams have also installed heating and lighting

in his indoor quarters, a ramp to help him get in and

out and a scratchproof mattress.

 

He is also being given daily injections of vitamin

supplements by Juan Carlos Murrillo a WSPA vet who

said: " Marjan should be eating 10-15 kilos of food a

day, but currently only can manage five to six. He's

very thin and wasted along his sides and back legs

from prolonged malnutrition.

 

" Now he is receiving liver, lungs, heart, raw eggs and

chicken and will be introduced to other varieties of

food in the coming days. "

 

The WSPA vet is also treating Donatella, who makes her

nose wound worse by rubbing it on the bars of her tiny

cage. She is being given antibiotics and an antifungal

medication and will be moved to a larger enclosure

that has some trees, rocks and a pool/moat, in the

next few days.

 

Story filed: 18:31 Tuesday 22nd January 2002

 

 

 

 

 

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