LAHORE:
Six lions trapped at a farmhouse near the Ravi along Multan Road were rescued on Sunday in a joint operation by the Punjab Wildlife Rangers and the Wildlife Rescue Force.
Devastating floods across Punjab have also taken a toll on wildlife, leaving many animals stranded in their natural habitats as well as in protected enclosures.
The Punjab Wildlife Department launched an emergency operation to save animals in flood-hit districts, deploying specialised ambulances, veterinary teams and temporary camps to treat injured wildlife. Officials warned that without sustained rescue efforts and long-term rehabilitation plans, populations of deer and other rare species could face severe decline.
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The high-risk mission, supervised by Wildlife Secretary Mudassir Riaz, was carried out amid heavy rain and strong water currents. Four boats and a team of veterinary doctors were mobilised to ensure the lions’ safe evacuation.
Authorities confirmed that the lions were shifted to a secure facility, where they underwent medical check-ups. Their health is being closely monitored.
“This was an extremely challenging and sensitive rescue,” a department spokesperson said, adding that the operation not only saved the animals but also helped avert potential threats to human lives.
Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb praised the efforts of the rescue teams, saying wildlife protection remains one of the Punjab government’s top priorities. “No living creature will be left abandoned in times of crisis,” she said.
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Meanwhile, officials said seven deer stranded in flood-hit areas were also rescued and relocated to safer places as part of ongoing operations.
Heavy monsoon rains and upstream discharges have pushed Punjab’s major rivers — Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej — to dangerous levels, inundating farmland and forcing mass evacuations. With waters still advancing, sightings of stranded deer, boars and other animals have become increasingly common in submerged areas.
