Photo for representational purposes only
Doha, Qatar: A 17-year-old Qatari youth was attacked by a lion that was being raised by an individual who was described as an expert animal trainer, reported Al Sharq newspaper.
The attack resulted in the young man sustaining serious injuries to his head and various parts of his body. According to the newspaper, the incident took place approximately two weeks ago in the Umm Salal area.
The mother of the injured young man told Al Sharq that her son had acquired a young lioness (4 months old) in 2022, but soon discovered that he had an allergy to the animal. The feline was then transferred to the care of the animal training expert.
The young man had visited the lioness to check on her only 3 times, his mother said, with the first visit being in September 2024, and the second in November of the same year. The third and last visit, which resulted in the attack, took place on January 12, 2025.
The young man’s mother explained that, during those visits, her son interacted with the lioness through a cage, but during the last two visits, she was let out.
A 7-year-old lion was also let loose along with the lioness, and during the last visit, the lion attacked the young man.
According to Al Sharq, the lion sank his sharp claws and fangs into the young man’s head and body, causing him serious injuries.
The young man was then promptly transferred to the hospital, where he received first aid, and from there to Hamad Medical Corportation’s emergency services, where it was found that the young man had suffered a partial skull fracture and fractures around the eye, in addition to deep wounds in various parts of his body.
He underwent immediate surgery and was transferred to the intensive care unit for 4 days, followed by a 12-day stay at the specialized surgery center, before returning home.
Regarding the young man's current health condition, his mother explained that his condition was stable, and that he was continuing to undergo treatment due to his seizures caused by the shock suffered after the attack, and noted that his left eye will remain closed for 6 months as part of the treatment protocol until it fully recovers.
The mother denied the rumors that her son was attacked by the lioness he owned, explaining that the lion raised by the trainer was the one who attacked her son and caused him his injuries, and that the whole matter was being looked into by the competent authorities.
She expressed sincere gratitude to the Hamad Medical Corporation and the medical team that performed the delicate surgery on her son.
