Russia: Lion Cub Found By Children Now At Zoo

A lion cub found by schoolchildren in a Russian village is now being cared for at a nearby zoo.

The children found the cub wandering free in the southern Rostov region and took it back to their school to show their classmates and teachers.

The animal was briefly kept in the school gym, until police collected it and took it to a nearby zoo - to the amazement of zoo staff.

"To be honest, we didn't believe it when we heard it first, but police wouldn't be making a joke," said Rostov Zoo deputy director Irina Gribanova.

"Then we saw it with our own eyes and were really amazed.

"There has never been such a case that a lion cub was found in the wild here in our region or somewhere else around.

"I can't remember something like that even though I have worked in the zoo for the last 32 years. Something like this has never happened."

Police are still searching for the owner of the animal, which they say may have escaped from a travelling zoo as it passed through the area.

Police spokesman Vladislav Lazurenko said: "The wild animal had no lead and no muzzle on. The kids have brought it to the local school, the teachers placed the lion cub to the school gym and informed the police about the incident."

The cub, nicknamed Barsik, is described as being in a "rather good condition" and is believed to be around six-months-old.