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Daily Mirror
13-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Man buys lion as pet for back garden but there's a horrific outcome
Aqil Fakhr al-Din, 50, from Iraq, was killed by a lion he had just brought as a pet and had planned to tame. The animal was shot after it refused to let go of his body A man was savaged to death by his pet lion just days after purchasing the animal and homing it in his back garden. Aqil Fakhr al-Din, was mauled by the beast before it feasted on most of his body. According to local media, the 50-year-old had been keeping pet lions and other wild animals for several years and had planned to tame the predator over time at his home in city of Najaf in Iraq. Mufid Tahir, spokesperson for the Najaf Police, explained what happened to the owner. He said: "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 reports, one of the victim's neighbours attempted to save him and shot the lion with a Kalashnikov rifle. The neighbour is said to have gunned down the animal using seven bullets. The owner was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead after the nightmare attack. Shocking pictures showed the bloodied victim lifeless in a hospital bed after the incident. Footage has also captured the aftermath from the scene, with the lion spotted dead in the garden. Police told the Rudaw news network that they ensured the lion was actually dead after the shooting, so they could retrieve any remains. The incident has prompted concerns over wildlife trafficking. It comes despite laws being put in place to protect animals from such acts. The Convention on the Protection of Animals was introduced in 2014 to help regulate global wildlife trade. Despite this illegal trafficking is still an ongoing issue in the country. Last year, a zoo keeper was mauled by a pack of lions in Uzbekistan. The man, named locally as F. Iriskulov, 44, recorded his final moments as the beasts pounced on him, reports The Sun. The incident happened at Lion Park - a zoo which had been open since May 2019. Three lions mauled him after he appeared to goad the animals inside the cage and kept telling them to "be quiet'. The zoo released a statement at the time which said: 'The lions killed him and partially consumed his body.'
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
