Turkish authorities rescued a 35-day-old African lion cub after it was trafficked into Istanbul, the Agricultural and Forestry Ministry confirmed last week.
Announcing the rescue of the newborn male cub, the ministry posted on X that wildlife teams seized the baby lion and placed it under state protection.
The cub was discovered after a tip-off on a veterinary clinic holding the cub in the Tuzla district.
The ministry issued fines against two individuals involved in the trafficking of the lion.
The cub is now being cared for at a designated facility, but no public statement has been made about the long-term plan for the cub.
Smuggling of animals across the Middle East
Exotic animals are often seen as a status symbol, according to animal rights experts. Animals are often trafficked across the Middle East, including in Israel, as part of a growing market.
The majority of trafficked lions are captivity-bred, Richard Thomas, from the wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic, told BBC News.
"People who think lion cubs are very pretty, exotic, cool, and different [buy them]," he said. "But they don't take into account the animal welfare and safety considerations that owning a lion entails."
In March, Israel found lion cubs and monkeys were being smuggled into the country by drone.