A lion was reported on the loose in Dubai’s Al Barsha neighbourhood on Thursday evening. The lion is believed to have escaped from its owner’s home in the area. Courtesy Dubai Municipality
A lion was reported on the loose in Dubai’s Al Barsha neighbourhood on Thursday evening. The lion is believed to have escaped from its owner’s home in the area. Courtesy Dubai Municipality

Lioness captured after three-hour prowl in Dubai’s Al Barsha



DUBAI // A young lioness that escaped from her owner is believed to have roamed the streets for more than three hours before she was captured by a team of Dubai Municipality animal welfare officers.

Dubai Police said they received reports of the lioness prowling the streets of Al Barsha neighbourhood, one of the newer residential developments on the city’s west side, at about 7pm on Thurday.

The animal was thought to have been on the loose since about 6pm and was caught three hours later, a rescuer said.

Officials said they did not know how she escaped from her home, located a few blocks from where she was found.

Thani Al Suwaidi was one of four Dubai Municipality animal welfare workers to respond to the police call asking for help in capturing the lioness.

The team arrived on the scene at 8.30pm to find the lioness crouching between two houses as police and about 15 onlookers kept a safe distance.

“It was lying down. A trainer was next to it but ... the lion was not listening to him,” Mr Al ­Suwaidi said.

“It was just lying down because there were too many people and it was frightened.”

The animal was thought to be about six months old. Mr Al ­Suwaidi said because the ­lioness was small his team were able to catch her without resorting to sedation. Two animal welfare workers stood in front of her and two behind.

“A lion that size can’t jump really high, so basically it had to go through us. Thank God, alhamdulillah, we controlled the situation,” Mr Al Suwaidi said.

They captured her using a catch-pole, similar to those used for catching stray dogs.

“As soon as we restrained the animal, she got a little erratic. We subdued her and then put her in our vehicle.”

The lioness, which Mr Al Suwaidi said did not have a name, was kept overnight at the Dubai Municipality veterinary centre.

Yesterday, when she was transferred to Dubai Zoo, the lioness became a little more defensive, Mr Al Suwaidi said.

“She was trying to attack us all. We had to sedate her,” he said.

“She sounds much bigger than she looks. She made me jump. When she roars, the sound is terrifying.”

The animal was in “great shock” after escaping, said Dr Reza Khan, Dubai Zoo’s wildlife specialist.

“That would be a shock for her to be in the open world without the cage. Then, she was captured, so that was kind of traumatic for a wild animal when you go and capture it,” he said.

“But she will recover.”

While the lionness was not declawed, two of her canine teeth are missing.

Dr Khan said a full health check would be completed once the animal had settled down.

The big cat cannot be reintroduced into the wild because, after being removed from her pride, she would lose predatory instincts, Dr Khan said.

She will remain at the zoo, where she will gradually be introduced to the lion population there.

“It will always expect food to be in front of him or her. It would be killed by another one – it wouldn’t know how to defend itself,” he said.

Although it is illegal to keep wild animals as household pets, exceptions are made for members of the Ruling Family or anyone who has official authorisation, officials said.

Illegal ownership of smuggled animals is not as popular as it was in the 1980s and 1990s, but it is not uncommon in the UAE, said Dr Khan.

He called for tougher laws to prevent private ownership of such animals.

“I think Government has legislated against keeping these animals captive, but we need a wildlife act,” Dr Khan said.

“There should be a real severe punishment if you’re having wild animals – especially dangerous wild animals, like crocodiles, lions, tigers, orangutan, gorillas. It could endanger anybody’s life, not only the owner’s.”

Ghaith Al Falasi, head of the inspection unit for Dubai Municipality’s veterinary services, said this was the first incidence of a lion escaping in the emirate this year.

“We had two others in 2015, but they weren’t lions, they were cheetahs,” Mr Al Falasi said. The owners were not charged in either case.

rpennington@thenational.ae

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German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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Name: HyperSpace
 
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Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
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Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

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Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

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Four stars

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TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

Crops that could be introduced to the UAE

1: Quinoa 

2. Bathua 

3. Amaranth 

4. Pearl and finger millet 

5. Sorghum

Grand Slam Los Angeles results

Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos

Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha

SERIE A FIXTURES

Friday (UAE kick-off times)

Sassuolo v Bologna (11.45pm)

Saturday

Brescia v Torino (6pm)

Inter Milan v Verona (9pm)

Napoli v Genoa (11.45pm)

Sunday

Cagliari v Verona (3.30pm)

Udinese v SPAL (6pm)

Sampdoria v Atalanta (6pm)

Lazio v Lecce (6pm)

Parma v Roma (9pm)

Juventus v Milan (11.45pm)

 

THE BIG THREE

NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m

ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m

RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
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What is blockchain?

Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.

The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

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Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.

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Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

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Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

Super Rugby play-offs

Quarter-finals

  • Hurricanes 35, ACT 16
  • Crusaders 17, Highlanders 0
  • Lions 23, Sharks 21
  • Chiefs 17, Stormers 11

Semi-finals

Saturday, July 29

  • Crusaders v Chiefs, 12.35pm (UAE)
  • Lions v Hurricanes, 4.30pm
'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.