In pictures: Kabul’s born-again lion

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Kabul zoo yesterday unveiled its new star attraction – Marjan the lion, who lived on a rooftop in the city until rescued by animal welfare officials last year when it was close to death. A businessman in the war-torn Afghan capital had bought the male lion cub as a status symbol for US$20,000 and kept his pet on a roof terrace. But the fast-growing animal was seriously ill when officials tracked him down last October. “We found him in a very dire condition. He was almost dead. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t even raise his head,” veterinarian Abdul Qadir Bahawi said.