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Hindustan Times
14-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Iraqi man killed and devoured by pet lion he tried to tame just days after buying it
A 50-year-old man, Aqil Fakhr al-Din, was mauled and partially devoured by his pet lion in Kufa, Iraq, just days after purchasing the animal, according to a report from Al-Ghad newspaper, as quoted by Metro. The incident took place last Thursday when al-Din, who had a history of keeping wild animals, was fatally attacked in his garden. (Also read: Escaped lion enters house, mauls 14-year-old girl to death in Kenya) Al-Din had recently acquired the lion with plans to tame it, housing it in a cage alongside other exotic animals on his property. However, the situation turned tragic when the lion suddenly lashed out. A source told Al-Ghad that the predator lunged at al-Din as he approached the enclosure, biting him in the neck and chest. As per the outlet, the neighbour, hearing al-Din's screams, rushed to his aid, grabbing a Kalashnikov rifle to try to save him. After firing seven shots, the neighbour managed to kill the lion, as confirmed by the Shafaq News Agency. Footage shared on social media shows the lion's lifeless body lying in a pool of blood on the grass, with cages visible in the background of the garden. Emergency services arrived at the scene, and al-Din's body was transported to Al-Sadr Medical City Hospital in Najaf. Police have since launched an investigation into the incident. The authorities revealed to Rudaw news network that the lion was put down after refusing to leave the remains of its owner. (Also read: 44-year-old zookeeper enters lion's den to 'impress girlfriend', accidentally films his own death) The death of Al-Din follows a similar event in Kenya, where a 14-year-old girl was killed by a lion. The lion, believed to have escaped from Nairobi National Park, entered a residential compound on the outskirts of the city and attacked the girl, dragging her away. A friend of the victim raised the alarm, and Kenya Wildlife Service rangers later found the girl's body with severe injuries.
NDTV
13-05-2025
- NDTV
Iraqi Man Killed And Eaten By Pet Lion In His Backyard: Report
Al-Din had kept wild animals, including the lion, in his home garden. A neighbor intervened and shot the lion to stop the attack on al-Din. The incident raises concerns about raising predatory animals in Iraq. An Iraqi man, Aqil Fakhr al-Din, 50, was killed and partially devoured by his pet lion in Kufa last Thursday, just days after puchasing the animal to tame it. The incident has shaken the Al-Barakiya district in the Najaf Governorate. Al-Din was attacked as he approached the lion's cage in the garden of his home in the Al-Hasinat area, where he had kept lions and other wild animals for years. According to the Al-Ghad newspaper, the lion pounced, biting al-Din's neck and chest, resulting in fatal injuries. The animal then consumed a significant portion of the man's body. Al-Din was well-known in the community for keeping exotic animals as pets. A security source told the newspaper that Aqil Fakhr al-Din had been raising the lion in his garden for about a month before the sudden attack. As the victim approached the cage, the lion pounced and tore him apart with its fangs, causing immediate death due to severe injuries to his neck and chest. "A neighbour heard the family's screams and cries for help and intervened, managing to kill the lion by shooting it with his personal weapon, thus ending the violent attack," the source added. The victim's body was transferred to the forensic medicine department according to standard procedures. A video clip later circulated on social media showing the lion lying in a pool of blood. The incident has once again highlighted the growing trend of raising predatory animals in residential areas in Iraq without any legal framework or veterinary supervision, posing a direct threat to public safety.
Metro
12-05-2025
- Metro
Man mauled to death and eaten by his pet lion he kept in a garden
A man was mauled to death by his pet lion only days after buying it. Aqil Fakhr al-Din, 50, was attacked by the predator last Thursday before it devoured most of his body at his home in Kufa, Iraq. He had for years kept lions and other wild animals in his garden, having purchased another lion earlier this month to tame it. But the wildcat pounced on al-Din and bit his neck and chest while he approached its cage, a source told the Al-Ghad newspaper. WARNING: Images below may be considered upsetting by some readers Al-Din's neighbour heard the man's screams and attempted to save him by shooting the lion with a Kalashnikov rifle, otherwise called an AK-47. He killed the lion after firing at it seven times, according to the Shafaq News Agency. Footage on social media, seen by Metro, shows the lion lying in a pool of blood on the grass. Cages can be seen in the back of the garden. Al-Din's body was taken to Al-Sadr Medical City Hospital in Najaf. A police investigation has been launched. The police said that the lion was put down by the authorities because it refused to leave the remains', the force told the Rudaw news network. Iraq has long struggled with illegal wildlife trafficking, an issue exacerbated by war, a lack of regulation and the high price tags such animals have. Poachers and smugglers capture endangered and vulnerable animals, from Egyptian vultures and marbled ducks to lion cubs and otters, to sell in animal markets. Many of the animals have been imported from places such as Africa or Thailand, drugged and wrapped in cling film or crammed into crates to get through customs. Zoos act as bazaars for the wild species trade, a report by Nature Iraq found. Easily able to obtain permits to legally receive and maintain exotic species, zookeepers then resell the animals to other zoos or individuals. The animals are kept in filthy conditions, with a high mortality rate present in many zoos across Iraq, the environmental conservation group said. Iraq signed the Convention on the Protection of Animals in 2014, a Council of Europe treaty that promotes animal welfare. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Sky News journalist Alex Crawford reveals making 'repulsive' documentary hit her hard
Scottish Sun
12-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Animal lover, 50, mauled to death & eaten by his own PET LION just days after buying beast to keep in his garden
The victim intended to raise and tame the lion at home, local reports say LION RAMPAGE Animal lover, 50, mauled to death & eaten by his own PET LION just days after buying beast to keep in his garden Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MAN was mauled to death by his pet lion in southern Iraq, just days after bringing the animal home in hopes of taming it in his garden. The victim, 50-year-old Aqil Fakhr al-Din, was known locally for keeping lions and other wild animals on his property for years, according to police. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Aqil Fakhr al-Din, 50, was tragically killed by his pet lion Credit: YouTube 3 The lion was shot dead Credit: YouTube Mufid Tahir, a spokesperson for local police, told Rudaw news outlet, 'Today in a garden in the city of Kufa in Najaf, a citizen was attacked by a lion in his own garden and died immediately. 'The lion had eaten a large portion of the man's body, and because the lion refused to leave the remains, we were forced to shoot and kill it." According to local TV reports, the victim's neighbour intervened before authorities came, shooting the lion seven times with a Kalashnikov rifle and killing it. Al-Din was immediately taken to Al-Sadr Medical City Hospital in Najaf but did not survive due to the severity of his injuries. A clip of the lion lying dead in the garden went viral on social media, sparking outrage over the man's ability to keep the animal in his garden and raising concerns about Iraq's lax rules on private ownership of exotic wildlife. Al-Din had bought the lion to raise and tame it at home, local reports claim. Iraq has long struggled with illegal wildlife trafficking, driven by a strong market demand along with years of weak law enforcement. In the absence of effective regulations, hunters and smugglers continue to capture and trade rare species. Falcons from Iraq's southern plains are among the most sought-after animals, especially due to their value in the Gulf's falconry traditions. In the mountainous and remote areas of the Kurdistan Region, smugglers also target a wide range of species including wild birds, foxes and reptiles. Elderly man, 89, and his dog killed in brutal black bear attack in Florida as lab workers make grisly discovery Many of these animals are sold in local markets or trafficked across borders to wealthier buyers in neighbouring countries. But rare and exotic species are also smuggled into Iraq and the Kurdistan Region from other parts of the world. These animals - ranging from African primates to Asian big cats - are sold in black markets or displayed in private collections, often with little regard for animal welfare. Despite Iraq's ratification of the Convention on the Protection of Animals in 2014 - which aims to regulate global wildlife trade - illegal trafficking remains widespread across the country. It comes as zoo worker was killed by a kangaroo after he was reportedly "roughhousing" with it. Eric Slate, who was the brother of the petting zoo's owner, was found beaten up at 5-Star Farm near Loris, South Carolina, according to police. The worker's exact cause of death is still unclear, but the local councilman Dennis DiSabato confirmed a kangaroo was directly involved in the killing. Slate's corpse was discovered just after midnight on Saturday, with the kangaroo still in the same enclosure. South Carolina has some of the most lenient laws in the US when it comes to exotic animal ownership. Unlike many other states that require permits, licenses or ban certain species altogether, South Carolina imposes minimal restrictions. Besides South Carolina, there are only two other states in the US where people can purchase a pet kangaroo without a permit: Wisconsin and West Virginia. In the absence of stricter rules, exotic pet incidents, including escapes and attacks, remain a real possibility.
The Irish Sun
12-05-2025
- The Irish Sun
Animal lover, 50, mauled to death & eaten by his own PET LION just days after buying beast to keep in his garden
A MAN was mauled to death by his pet lion in southern Iraq, just days after bringing the animal home in hopes of taming it in his garden. The victim, 50-year-old Aqil Fakhr al-Din, was known locally for keeping lions and other wild animals on his property for years, according to police. Advertisement 3 Aqil Fakhr al-Din, 50, was tragically killed by his pet lion Credit: YouTube 3 The lion was shot dead Credit: YouTube Mufid Tahir, a spokesperson for local police, told Rudaw news outlet, 'Today in a garden in the city of Kufa in Najaf, a citizen was attacked by a lion in his own garden and died immediately. 'The lion had eaten a large portion of the man's body, and because the lion refused to leave the remains, we were forced to shoot and kill it." According to local TV reports, the victim's neighbour intervened before authorities came, shooting the lion seven times with a Kalashnikov rifle and killing it. Al-Din was immediately taken to Al-Sadr Medical City Hospital in Najaf but did not survive due to the severity of his injuries. Advertisement A clip of the lion lying dead in the garden went viral on social media, sparking outrage over the man's ability to keep the animal in his garden and raising concerns about Iraq's lax rules on private ownership of exotic wildlife. Al-Din had bought the lion to raise and tame it at home, local reports claim. Iraq has long struggled with illegal wildlife trafficking, driven by a strong market demand along with years of weak law enforcement. In the absence of effective regulations, hunters and smugglers continue to capture and trade rare species. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Falcons from Iraq's southern plains are among the most sought-after animals, especially due to their value in the Gulf's falconry traditions. In the mountainous and remote areas of the Kurdistan Region, smugglers also target a wide range of species including wild birds, foxes and reptiles. Elderly man, 89, and his dog killed in brutal black bear attack in Florida as lab workers make grisly discovery Many of these animals are sold in local markets or trafficked across borders to wealthier buyers in neighbouring countries. But rare and exotic species are also smuggled into Iraq and the Kurdistan Region from other parts of the world. Advertisement These animals - ranging from African primates to Asian big cats - are sold in black markets or displayed in private collections, often with little regard for animal welfare. Despite Iraq's ratification of the Convention on the Protection of Animals in 2014 - which aims to regulate global wildlife trade - illegal trafficking remains widespread across the country. It comes as Eric Slate, who was the brother of the petting zoo's owner, was found beaten up at 5-Star Farm near Loris, South Carolina, according to police. Advertisement The worker's exact Slate's corpse was discovered just after midnight on Saturday, with the kangaroo still in the same enclosure. South Carolina has some of the most lenient laws in the US when it comes to exotic animal ownership. Unlike many other states that require permits, licenses or ban certain species altogether, South Carolina imposes minimal restrictions. Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun Besides South Carolina, there are only two other states in the US where people can purchase a pet kangaroo without a permit: Wisconsin and West Virginia. In the absence of stricter rules, exotic pet incidents, including escapes and attacks, remain a real possibility. 3 5-Star Farm recently posted a picture of a kangaroo named Mr. Jack, pictured, but it is unclear if he was the animal responsible
