The female big cat, raised by Parinya Parkpoom, was transferred to a wildlife care centre in Suphan Buri province on Sunday after it mauled a boy and a man the previous day in the city of Kanchanaburi.
The one-year-old lion was chained to a steel pole at Parinya’s house before it broke loose and pounced on the victims, who required hospital treatment.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Suchart Chomklin ordered the confiscation of the lion from Parinya, who was charged with violating the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, which bars owners from releasing wild animals.
If convicted, he faces a jail term of six months or a fine of up to 50,000 baht (US$1,538) or both.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) said in a social media post that Parinya was earlier told to enhance the security of the lion’s cage as it failed to meet the required standards, but the incident happened before the renovation was completed.
Parinya, who regularly shared posts about exotic pets, later recaptured the lion and agreed to shoulder the costs for its relocation, The Nation reported.
