Lacking funds, zoo poisons lion cubs

Rare Abyssinian lion cubs are being poisoned at a zoo in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, and sold to taxidermists because there isn’t enough money to care for them, the facility’s administrator said.

The lions, known for their black manes, are revered in Ethiopia, adorning statues and currency. Wildlife experts estimate that only 1,000 of the animals, which are smaller than other lions, remain in the wild.

Muhedin Abdulaziz, who heads the Lion Zoo in the capital, said the facility had poisoned six cubs so far this year.