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Lion cubs: cute, but not suitable as house cats
Photo: Apirom Kanjanapornudom / EyeEm / EyeEm / Getty Images
SPIEGEL:
Mr. Eiserlo, in an accident on the A5, a baby lion was discovered in the trailer of a minibus.
Is it allowed to transport a little lion like that?
Eiserlo:
Sadly, yes.
In Europe, keeping, breeding and transporting big cats is legal, even for private individuals.
In this case it is still unclear whether all papers are available.
But in principle, anyone who does a little research on the Internet can get hold of these animals.
To person
Photo:
Eva Lindenschmidt / FOUR PAWS
Florian Eiserlo
, 38, is a biologist and has been the manager of "TIERART", the rescue center of the "FOUR PAWS" foundation in Maßweiler in Rhineland-Palatinate for five years.
SPIEGEL:
And where do you buy a lion, if you please?
Eiserlo:
Many breeders are based in Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
It's an incredibly lucrative deal.
The prices depend on how old an animal is, what gender it is and what it looks like.
In the case of the young lioness, I estimate between 5,000 and 10,000 euros was paid.
SPIEGEL:
Do the potential owners have to prove that they are familiar with predators?
Eiserlo:
No, that's a big problem.
You only have to register the keeping with the veterinary office and the construction of an enclosure with the building authority.
For the keeping of big cats you need a permit according to §11 of the Animal Welfare Act.
A police clearance certificate is rarely asked for.
Dealing with life-threatening big cats does not require any special training.
But many breeders abroad are not interested in having the permits from the authorities.
If you have enough money, you can simply take such an animal with you.
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Rescued: The white lion cub from A5
Photo: Reptilium Landau / dpa
SPIEGEL:
How many tigers and lions currently live in Germany?
Eiserlo:
That's difficult to say.
We estimate about 130 to 160 tigers in Germany alone.
We cannot say how many exotic small and large cats actually live in Germany.
In a study by "Vier Pfoten" from 2018, the authorities were unable to provide any information.
And here it was explicitly only about keeping tigers.
SPIEGEL:
Why?
Eiserlo:
You often don't know exactly what you
're doing yourself
.
Owners of small or large cats that are not as conspicuous as lions or tigers - for example leopards, puma, cheetahs - often do not register their animals.
Trading and transportation are much easier.
In addition, the officers often compromise.
For example, they issue permits even though the conditions do not meet the current report on minimum requirements for keeping mammals.
SPIEGEL:
So how much space is there for big cats?
Eiserlo:
A tiger couple, for example, needs an outdoor area of at least 400 square meters with an electric fence and locks, plus an indoor area and access to water.
The costs for the construction quickly amount to 500,000 to one million euros.
SPIEGEL:
An expensive hobby.
Eiserlo:
In many countries, keeping such dangerous animals is a status symbol.
You boast about a tiger like a fat Porsche or a private jet.
Keeping the animals isn't cheap either.
An adult big cat eats 20 to 30 kilograms of meat per week, it also needs medical care and may need a zoo keeper.
All of this costs an additional 40,000 to 50,000 euros per year.
SPIEGEL:
And who can't afford that?
Eiserlo:
Many animals end up in lattice
boxes
or private households.
The puma in our ward, for example, came to Germany from the Czech Republic at the age of two and a half months, without vaccinations and without papers.
The original owner had imagined that he could keep the Puma in his two-room apartment and walk it on a leash.
He had seen it in a YouTube video.
SPIEGEL:
I beg your pardon?
Eiserlo:
In Poland and Russia it is a trend to keep cheetahs, leopards or pumas
indoors
.
The man has not thought about what he has to provide such an animal.
SPIEGEL:
What kind of people are they who want to keep a puma on a leash?
Eiserlo:
Most of them love their animals.
You would do anything for her.
But the keepers don't understand that the animals suffer.
It's okay for them if a tiger lives in 100 square meters, gets food and is occupied with toys from time to time.
SPIEGEL:
But isn't it?
Eiserlo:
Many of the animals develop abnormal behavior.
Lack of exercise and poor medical care often lead to chronic diseases to which the animals succumb early.
You can't just take a lion to the nearest small veterinarian practice.
SPIEGEL:
How can all of this be prevented?
Eiserlo:
The legal
situation
in Europe is very opaque and has many gray areas.
As long as legal trade is allowed, illegal trade will also take place.
Who checks whether a lioness has two or three cubs?
Therefore, in my opinion, only a complete ban will help: private breeding and keeping should no longer be allowed in the entire EU.
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Worldwide success: The Netflix series "Tiger King"
Photo: NETFLIX
SPIEGEL:
The streaming provider Netflix published the documentary series "Tiger King" in the spring.
It tells the story of an American private zoo with many big cats.
Could such a zoo also exist in Germany?
Eiserlo:
Not to that extent.
In Germany there are also petting zoos and circuses where you can take selfies with wild animals, including tigers and lions.
Fortunately, the acceptance in our society is not that high.
Icon: The mirror