Indonesian Safari Park Allegedly Drugged Its Lion for Photo Sessions with Tourists

An Indonesian Safari Park is taking a lot heat from netizens after  a video showing an allegedly drugged lion during a tourists’ photo session surfaced online.

In a video uploaded by Non-governmental organization Scorpion Wildlife Trade Monitoring Group, a woman and a young boy were seen sitting beside a lion cub, presumably for a photo session at Taman Safari, a safari park in Bogor, West Java. The lion cub was obviously drowsy and could neither keep its eyes open nor hold its head up. A park attendant was seen holding the lion’s head upright when it could no longer do it on its own.

The NGO posted the video on its Facebook page to raise awareness about animal treatment. It has also called on the Indonesian Natural Resources Conservation Agency to investigate the issue.

However, Taman Safari has already given its official statement, denying any mistreatment of their animals. According to their statement, the park “has been a champion for wildlife conservation in Indonesia for the last thirty years,” and with its known reputation, would not risk tarnishing their name with an issue such as sedating lions for tourist interactions.

Watch the video below and see for yourself if the lion looked like it was indeed sedated:

What do you think? Was the lion really drugged or was it just a case of bad timing and the lion was only really too sleepy? Share your thoughts in the comments section.