Animal rights groups condemn killing of escaped lion in Antalya
ANTALYA
The fatal shooting of a lion that escaped from a private animal park in the Mediterranean province of Antalya has triggered widespread outrage, with animal rights groups condemning the lethal response and the broader issue of wild animals’ captivity conditions.
The lion, named Zeus, escaped from the park in the city’s Manavgat district around 3:21 a.m. on July 6, injuring a man working in a nearby field before heading toward a forested area.
In response, local law enforcement and wildlife officials surrounded the area and ultimately shot the animal dead.
In a statement, the country’s national parks body, DKMP, confirmed that legal action would be taken against the business under the Animal Protection Law and zoo regulations.
Local authorities said the lion posed an immediate threat and could not be safely tranquilized.
However, activists have strongly disputed such claims.
“Zeus was a lion who should have been roaming the African savannah, not locked inside a cage for three years,” said an animal welfare group in a statement.
Images circulating on social media showed officers posing beside the lion’s body, prompting further outrage.
Activists described the scene as “disturbing” and an example of what they call a systemic failure to protect animals.
Another rights group compared the incident to a recent case in Muğla’s Marmaris, where wild boars searching for food were shot in public view.
“Zoos are torture camps. Hunting is murder,” the group said.
The park, which advertises itself as home to “the world’s largest lion family,” reportedly houses over 30 lions, along with other wild species such as tigers, bears and wolves.
It has now been sealed by authorities, and an investigation has been launched into its operations.
