IRAQ: VOLUNTEERS MOVE LION CUBS FROM PRIVATE MENAGERIE BELONGING TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S SON UDAY.

Record ID: 648070

  • Title: IRAQ: VOLUNTEERS MOVE LION CUBS FROM PRIVATE MENAGERIE BELONGING TO SADDAM HUSSEIN'S SON UDAY.
  • Date: 25th April 2003
  • Summary: (W5) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (APRIL 25, 2003)(REUTERS) 1. GV: INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS AND IRAQI ZOO WORKERS CHASING A LION CUB IN THE GROUNDS OF UDAY HUSSEIN'S PRIVATE MENAGERIE 0.03 2. GV/MV/PAN: LION CUB RUNNING AWAY (2 SHOTS) 0.12 3. GV: UNITED STATES TROOPS STANDING LOOKING AT LION CUBS BEING CHASED 0.14 4. CU: OLDER LION CUB IN TREE 0.19 5. GV: TREE IN GROUNDS OF UDAY HUSSEIN'S MENAGERIE 0.23 6. MV: LION CUB BEING TRAPPED IN CAGE 0.31 7. CU: U.S. SOLDIER LOOKING AT LION CUB BEING CAGED, THROUGH WINDOW 0.33 8. GV@VOLUNTEERS AND IRAQI ZOO WORKERS CARRYING CAGE AWAY 0.41 9. MV/PAN/CU: LION CUBS LOADED ONTO U.S. MILITARY VEHICLE (2 SHOTS) 1.02 10. MV/CU: TWO CHEETAHS FROM UDAY HUSSEIN'S PRIVATE MENAGERIE LOADED ONTO VEHICLE, CU MAN LOOKING ON (2 SHOTS) 1.10 11. VARIOUS: CONVOY DRIVING FROM PALACE, EN-ROUTE TO BAGHDAD ZOO, BIG CATS IN CAGES (5 SHOTS) 1.44 12. GV: CONVOY ARRIVING AT ZOO 1.52 13. CU: SIGN READING "BAGHDAD ZOO" 1.56 14. MCU: SOUNDBITE (English) SOUTH AFRICAN GAME KEEPER AND VOLUNTEER, LAWRENCE ANTONIE, SAYING "There's been an absolute tragedy here at the zoo, the situation is very poor and on top we have now found other animals at the palaces which are in a worse situation. So by bringing them back here they can be afforded proper medical treatment, proper attention and at least improve that situation which is the beginning where we're putting order back into the situation at the zoo. We're still short of food, we're short of all sorts of things here but at least we're making a start." 2.25 15. GV: HUNGRY LOOKING PAIR OF LIONS IN CAGE 2.37 16. MV/PAN: VOLUNTEERS RELEASING LION CUBS INTO CAGE 2.56 17. MCU: MALE LION WATCHING 3.00 18. GV: DOG WITH PAIR OF THREE-MONTH OLD LION CUBS 3.12 19. MV: LION CUBS 3.18 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 10th May 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAUVN3UV42VN3NMB4PZSKYF464
  • Story Text: International volunteers have begun moving lion cubs
    out of a private menagerie belonging to Saddam Hussein's son
    Uday, to be cared for at the Baghdad zoo.



    In Uday Hussein's private park, set in the rolling
    grounds of his father's Republican Palace, volunteer animal
    handlers are trying to capture several litters of lion cubs.

    Hissing and growling, the capture is made and the first
    three cubs, including two three-month old cubs and a
    nine-month- old cub, are bagged.

    The action was probably the first light relief for U.S.

    troops in several weeks.

    The cats were loaded onto a U.S. military transport
    vehicle for the trip across town to the Baghdad zoo.

    The volunteers are asking the international community for
    donations for the animals in Baghdad, which will be cared for
    in the city's 1930's-era zoo.

    The Baghdad zoo is being used by volunteers from Kuwait
    and South Africa, working with U.S. troops and Iraqi zoo
    officials, as a holding area for zoo animals forgotten after
    the war.

    But South African game ranger Lawrence Antonie and the
    team of Kuwaiti vets say the conditions of the animals and
    their environment remains atrocious.

    Antonie says there is no food for the animals in the zoo
    and barely enough water. The volunteers will soon have to
    start shooting donkeys to feed the big cats.

    The team is calling for donations to be sent to help
    improve conditions for hundreds of animals, including lions,
    tigers, cheetahs and other exotic wild animals.

    The cubs found roaming freely in the gardens of the palace
    moved with a dog that had been thrown to the cats to eat. The
    two three-month-olds and the part-Alsation dog are now
    inseparable.


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