IRAQ: INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE RESTORES TO HEALTH A PACK OF LIONS BELONGING TO SADDAM'S SON UDAY

Record ID: 648729

  • Title: IRAQ: INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE RESTORES TO HEALTH A PACK OF LIONS BELONGING TO SADDAM'S SON UDAY
  • Date: 8th June 2003
  • Summary: (W6) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JUNE 8, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. SLV: U.S. SOLDIER LOOKING AT LIONS WHICH BELONGED TO UDAY HUSSEIN IN HIS PALACE 0.05 2. SV: MAN FEEDING LIONS WITH CHUNKS OF DONKEY MEAT 0.10 3. SCU: SOLDIER TAKING PHOTO 0.14 4. VARIOUS OF MAN FEEDING LIONS (3 SHOTS) 0.25 5. SCU: LION CHEWING ON DONKEY MEAT 0.33 6. VARIOUS OF LION CUBS CLAMBERING OVER EACH OTHER WHILE WORKER CLEANING CAGE (2 SHOTS) 0.42 7. SV/CU: FEMALE LIONS LOOKING AT CUBS (2 SHOTS) 0.51 8. VARIOUS OF CUBS AT BARS (2 SHOTS) 1.00 9. VARIOUS OF INTERNATIONAL WELFARE ANIMAL FUND (IFAW) REPRESENTATIVE MARIETTE HOPLEY CLEANING CAGE (2 SHOTS) 1.11 10. CU: CUBS WAITING TO JOIN PARENTS 1.15 11. VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS TAKING PHOTOS IN FRONT OF LIONS (2 SHOTS) 1.24 12. SCU: LION AND CUBS EATING 1.29 13. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ARMY FIRST SERGEANT STEVEN ARNOLD, SAYING: "It's pretty wicked. I've heard a lot of stories about it like him (Uday) feeding women and stuff to them. I didn't know if it's actually true, but just thinking about it is pretty wild." 1.42 14. SV: LION CUB PLAYING 1.45 15. SV: (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARIETTE HOPLEY, INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR ANIMAL WELFARE (IFAW) REPRESENTATIVE IN IRAQ, SAYING: "We had found them in a bad state when we first came here after the war. Laurence Anthony actually found them together with the Special Forces. They weren't doing too well, but as you can see they are fat and flourishing and really looking good." 1.59 16. SLV: MEXTERIOR OF BAGHDAD ZOO WHICH IFAW IS HELPING TO REPAIR 2.04 17. VARIOUS OF CRANE MOVING RESCUED BEAR INTO BAGHDAD ZOO (4 SHOTS) 2.27 18. SV: SOLDIERS WATCHING 2.30 19. SV: ZOO WORKERS MOVING BEAR IN CAGE 2.35 20. SV: WORKERS OPENING CAGE DOOR 2.38 21. SV: BEAR MOVING INTO NEW HOME 2.47 22. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ARMY SECOND LIEUTENANT RYAN KELLOG, SAYING: "Our normal job is not as hairy. The bear really didn't give us any problems. It was a pretty routine job." 2.58 23. MV: SOLDIERS POSING FOR PHOTO 3.03 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd June 2003 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVAWT7I7KKQVDWM2CE05DBTMZT2
  • Story Text: Well fed and fit again -- an international animal welfare
    agency have been feeding a pack of lions belonging to
    Saddam Hussein's son Uday. They have also been
    rescuing other animals kept in bad condition in private
    zoos.


    They are one of the leading attractions for U.S soldiers
    based in Baghdad --- Uday Hussein's lions and their
    six young cubs. The three lions and the six-month year
    old cubs are still kept in their cages in the garden outside
    Uday Hussein's palace in the centre of Baghdad. After the
    bombing of Baghdad U.S. Special Forces found the hungry and
    ill lions languishing in their cages.

    Soon after international animal welfare agencies stepped
    in to save the pack. The cubs were born just days after
    welfare workers arrived in Uday's mansion.

    The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has taken
    over the feeding of the lions and every afternoon they offer
    the animals a dinner of donkey ribs. Many rumours surrounded
    Uday's dangerous pets, some people saying that they were used
    to terrorise his captives..or even eat them.

    "It's pretty wicked. I've heard a lot of stories about it
    like him (Uday) feeding women and stuff to them. I didn't know
    if it's actually true, but just thinking about it is pretty
    wild," First Sargeant Arnold said.

    "We had found them in a bad state when we first came here
    after the war. Laurence Anthony actually found them together
    with the Special Forces. They weren't doing too well, but as
    you can see they are fat and flourishing and really looking
    good," IFAW Representative Mariette Hopley said.

    IFAW is also helping to save large animals kept in bad
    conditions like this bear found sick in a private zoo. The
    five-year old Iraqi bear was moved to a new cage in the
    Baghdad Zoo for better care.

    The U.S. Army helped to move the bear with a crane normally
    only used to move military equipment.

    "Our normal job is not as hairy. The bear really didn't
    give us any problems. It was a pretty routine job," Second
    Lieutenant Ryan Kellog said.




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