Kosovo, Pristina
AP
—
A lion and a bear rescued from captivity in northern Albania arrived at a German game reserve in early December after authorities in Tirana discovered they were being kept illegally as pets on private property.
Elion, a 3-year-old lion, and Flora, a 2-year-old bear, are both starting new lives.
“We are very happy that the authorities have had the opportunity to confiscate the animals and take them to Germany to start over in an environment suitable for the species,” said Magdalena Scherke Trettin, senior project manager for rescues at the international animal rights organization Four Paws.
Four Paws’ team carried out the rescue after Albania’s National Forestry Agency located the lion based on a video posted by its owner on TikTok.
Neither authorities nor the organization have released the name of the person who kept the animal as a pet.
Veterinarians administered anesthesia before the animals were loaded into crates for the long journey to their new homes. On Dec. 13, they completed a 70-hour journey through several European countries, and Elion is now housed in a wildlife sanctuary in southeastern Germany, while Flora is housed in a bear sanctuary in northern Germany, Four Paws announced.
The organization said the two animals were in poor condition.
“An initial visual examination revealed that Flora was malnourished and had dental problems, so her recovery plan is already underway,” the organization said.
When Elion was rescued, his mane was falling out, but veterinarians have not yet determined why.
Despite the difficult journey, the rescue was worth it, Shark Trettin said. “We are happy to see these animals start a new life.”
Illegal wildlife trade remains a systemic problem in Albania and across the region, with bears and other exotic animals in particular being kept in cages in restaurants and on private property with little or no professional care.
The origins of Elyon and Flora remain unknown. Four Paws said it believed the lion was a victim of illegal wildlife trade and that the bear was likely poached from the wild.
“This rescue highlights the urgent need for Albania to tackle illegal wildlife trade and private breeding,” the group said in a statement.
According to Four Paws, weak laws, legal loopholes and poor enforcement contribute to the prevalence of private capture and trade in wild animals in Albania, where it is estimated that more than 60 big cats are still kept in poor conditions.
Albanian law allows individuals and organizations to keep specimens of wild animals born in captivity, such as in zoos and specialized facilities. Exotic species originating outside of Albania can also be kept if you can provide documentation proving that they were obtained from a specialized breeding or trading center.
Four Paws project manager Sergemir Shehu said the law lacked a strict framework to prevent organizations like his from breeding wild animals.
The law also allows animals to be confiscated if they do not meet welfare or veterinary standards, but does not impose sanctions on owners of exotic pets.
