More about the story…

What has happened?
A young declawed and fangless lion has been seen in videos on social media videos. According to Cambodian officials, a Chinese national had imported the lion to Cambodia, and was raising it at a villa in the capital Phnom Penh.

The officials launched an investigation in April, after discovering footage of the 70kg (11st) lion on TikTok.

Environment ministry spokesman Neth Pheaktra told AFP news agency that images shared on TikTok showed the lion sitting on a driveway and being sprayed with a hose when it was a young cub.

“People have no right to raise rare wildlife as pets,” he said.

The lion has since been confiscated.