A lion that escaped from a private animal park in Antalya’s Manavgat district was shot and killed by unidentified individuals after injuring a local resident, officials confirmed.
The male lion, named Zeus, reportedly escaped from its enclosure early on Jul 6 at the “Land of Lions” animal park. It was later spotted about a kilometer away, in a nearby field.
Süleyman Kır, who was working on his farm at the time, was injured by the animal as it tried to defend itself. He was hospitalized and remains under medical care.
Describing the encounter, Süleyman Kır's spouse, Gülperi Kır, said, “We struggled with the lion for 15 to 20 minutes. I called my child, my brother, and our neighbor. They came. Then the lion moved about 15 to 20 meters away.
"Four vehicles arrived, police and gendarmerie. They saw the lion heading toward the far end of the pistachio field with their flashlights and then left. If I hadn’t seen it myself, I wouldn’t have believed it. I had a five-liter water bottle and threw it at the lion. I couldn't do anything.”
Süleyman Kır’s son, Ahmet Kır, also recounted the attack: “We wrestled with the lion for a while. We called for help, but no one was around. The lion bit my thigh and neck. I grabbed its neck and squeezed, and it ran off. It stood about ten meters away. That’s when the officers arrived.”
Investigation into animal park
Authorities later located the lion in a wooded area and confirmed it had been killed. According to Manavgat Municipality, the animal was removed from the scene by municipal teams.
Photographs circulating online show individuals posing beside the lion’s body.
The General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks said the park is now under review.
“Following the incident, the lion was neutralized and removed from the area. The zoo in question is being investigated under Law No. 5199 on Animal Protection and relevant regulations. Legal proceedings will be initiated based on the findings,” the agency said.
The Antalya Governor’s Office also launched a judicial investigation into the park’s operations.
Condemnation from rights groups
Animal rights groups condemned the killing. The Animal, Life, and Freedom Initiative said, “In Manavgat, Zeus the lion escaped from a park where he was held captive and was killed by armed individuals who pursued him.
"Animals are not commodities for profit; they are part of Earth’s family. What happened in Manavgat was murder. Shut down zoos. Justice for Zeus.” (TY/VK)
