A viral video on social media platform TikTok showing the abuse of an African male lion has prompted swift action by the Punjab Wildlife Department. Officials have seized the lion, while the suspect remains at large.
In the widely circulated video, a young man, identified as Muhammad Usman, son of Muhammad Shahid, can be seen illegally keeping and harassing an African male lion in an urban area.
READ MORE: Bear rescued from abuse, illegal captivity
Acting under a zero-tolerance policy, the Punjab Wildlife Rangers in Gujranwala, under instructions from the Chief Wildlife Ranger, conducted a raid in collaboration with the local police from Sadar Police Station, Gujranwala.
According to Deputy Chief Wildlife Ranger Gujranwala, Sheikh Muhammad Zahid, the suspect managed to escape by blending into a crowd of onlookers during the operation. However, the authorities successfully took an adult African male lion into custody.
The Punjab Wildlife Department has registered a case against Muhammad Usman under relevant sections of the Wildlife Act of 1974 and Sections 186 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Pending the outcome of the case, the confiscated lion has been transferred to Adil Wildlife Breeding Farm.
Wildlife Department officials emphasised that illegally keeping wildlife and subjecting animals to harassment in urban settings is intolerable. They reiterated their commitment to continuing strict enforcement actions against such violations.
The latest confiscation followed an earlier incident in Gujranwala, where two African lions were taken into custody after a TikTok video went viral showing them being paraded through a residential neighbourhood alongside automatic firearms.
In the footage, a man identified as Luqman—known online as “Loha”—was seen walking a chained lion in the Batala Sharam Singh area, raising concerns about both public safety and animal welfare.
READ MORE: Man injured in lion attack while filming TikTok video
Responding to the incident, Deputy Director Wildlife Rangers Gujranwala Region Sheikh Zahid Iqbal had ordered immediate action. A team led by Senior Wildlife Ranger Muhammad Umair traced the lions to a private farmhouse, where they were being kept without any legal permits or documentation under the Punjab Wildlife Act.
Wildlife officials confirmed that no valid registration had been submitted for the animals, leading to their removal by the authorities.
