A young lion which became trapped in a snare attached to a tree is free to roam once again following a rescue operation in Zimbabwe.

Vets from Aware Trust Zimbabwe were called to Kariba, in the north of the country, after locals reported hearing growling from a nearby river gully.

Image: The young lion had been heard growling since the nihgt before the rescue. Pic: Aware Trust Zimbabwe

The animal had become entangled in the snare near the township of Nyamunga.

Bushes surrounding it were so thick, it could only be located by its growls and the shaking of the tree to which the snare was attached.

Image: The wire snare. Pic: Aware Trust Zimbabwe

Vets spent more than an hour trying to get a view of the lion before they managed to tranquilise it.


As news of the rescue spread, a crowd of around 1,000 people gathered to watch.

Image: X-rays showed no broken bones and the lion was released back into the wild later. Pic: Aware Trust Zimbabwe

Once the lion was unconscious, the rescuers were able to move in and cut it free from the snare around its foot.

X-rays showed no broken bones and the animal was released back into the wild once the trap was removed.