Police rescue lion cub, adult monkey as efforts against illegal animal trade persist

Police say over the weekend they rescued a lion cub near Kafr Qasim and a monkey in Lod, amid a string of operations against the illegal animal trade.

In Kafr Qasim, investigators initiated a search of an open area near Kfar Qasim, finding the lion cub, which they handed over to the Nature and Parks Authority for medical care.

Police say the cub will later be transferred to an animal shelter in the Kiryat Motzkin Zoo.

In Lod, investigators and Border Police officers searched a home and found an adult monkey inside a carrier too small for its size, tied up with chains and a tight strap around its stomach.

The monkey’s blood was tested for tuberculosis, rabies, and other diseases, the police statement says, adding that the Nature and Parks Authority warns such smuggled animals may carry diseases even if they look healthy.