Tbilisi Zoo has adopted a lion cub from an Olympic judo champion, after a video of him playing with the cub while driving triggered outrage in Georgia. It is virtually impossible for individuals to legally import lion cubs into Georgia, with two-time gold medalist Lasha Bekauri coming under heavy criticism after posting the video on social media in December.
It showed him stroking and playing with the baby cub while it was curled up on the passenger seat of his Porsche as he drove through central Tbilisi. The director of Tbilisi Zoo confirmed to AFP on Friday that it had taken the cub in following the scandal. The cub was in a very bad condition when it was adopted, zoo director Zurab Gurielidze said, suffering from muscle atrophy, digestive problems and other diseases.
“Currently, he lives in my office. He chose to sleep on my desk where he spends most of his time,” Gurielidze said. “He switches between lounging on the armchair, the table, the vet’s desk, the couch, or even the secretary’s desk ... he freely roams the entire floor, exploring wherever he pleases,” the zoo said in a statement.



“This unrestricted movement is crucial to his development, as it fosters his natural curiosity and exploratory behavior.” The zoo said it is looking to adopt another lion cub of a similar age. Reintroduction to the wild is deemed to be impossible.
The story has been big news in Georgia following the scandal and the zoo is searching for donations to help support the lion cub in its own enclosure. The zoo published photos showing the small cub being fed by a bottle, playing with a dog and perching on its hind legs to peer into a fridge. Authorities have not publicly opened an investigation into Bekauri, 24, over how he got the lion cub or whether he had a permit. The judo fighter won gold medals at the 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games and was a high-profile supporter of the ruling Georgian Dream party in divisive elections last year.— AFP