Authorities in Montenegro have rescued a lion cub that had escaped from a private residence last month.
The young feline was discovered on Thursday inside an unfinished house near the coastal village of Budva.
The animal had been wandering near the Adriatic Sea resort for a month after fleeing its temporary residence.
“The cub was visibly exhausted and is now undergoing veterinary examinations,” said Bojan Basanovic, spokesperson for the Agency for Nature and Environmental Protection (EPA).
“According to our information, it has been wandering for 30 days,” he told AFP.
The young animal has been placed temporarily “in a safe place” to be examined by a vet, he added. She will likely be permanently transferred to a zoo or shelter.
The long search for the lion cub has highlighted the illegal trafficking of wild animals in the Western Balkans.
Police told local media that an investigation had been launched to try to determine how the animal had been imported into Montenegro.
“Let all those who would like to keep wild animals in cages think well about this story and the permanent condemnation to hell of life imprisonment for animals,” the EPA wrote on Facebook.
“Thank you to everyone who participated in this action,” the organisation added.
