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Rescued Lion Kiros Reunites With Parents at Minnesota Sanctuary

The rescue shows how DNA proof with accredited care can reunite big cats separated by illegal pet sales.

Overview

  • Kiros now lives at the Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota, where he reunited with his parents Kim and Karl.
  • He disappeared during a rescue at a roadside zoo in Quebec that kept nine lions in substandard conditions.
  • He was sold illegally as a pet before an accredited zoo took him in and cared for him for 18 months.
  • DNA testing at that zoo confirmed he is the offspring of Kim and Karl, which cleared the way for a family reunion.
  • The sanctuary organized a transfer of more than 1,800 km to Minnesota, introduced him to his half-sister Mango, and called the outcome "incredibly moving" while warning about the cruelty of roadside zoos and the illegal pet trade.