The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness.*

By: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa.

Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html


*Note: This Article was published in "Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin". Number 73, January 2008, pp. 1-20.


On Sunday, the 27th of November 2005 the world media brought a story
about some masked gunmen who raided the only Palestinian zoo in the
Gaza Strip, and stole the four-month-old lion cub, Sabrina.

Zoo manager Sa'oud Al-Shawwa announced a $1,000 reward for anyone
who provides information that could help find the lion cub and a
pair of parrots that were also stolen.

The lion cub is reported to weigh about 20kg (44lb), and can eat her
way through several kilograms of meat each day.
When fully grown, lionesses can reach 130kg (287lb) or more.

As well as lions and parrots, the zoo is home to squirrels, monkeys,
an ostrich and some household pets.

Police originally asked the zoo to keep the theft a secret so as not
to hamper their investigation. But two weeks later they have heard
nothing of Sabrina and hope that the publicity will help track her
down.

"Thousands of people visit the zoo and they will miss these animals,
especially the lion," Al-Shawwa said. "We have different species of
animals here and we urge the Palestinian security forces to help us
find the stolen animals."

Sources in Gaza City said at least four gunmen armed with
Kalashnikov guns broke into the zoo late at night. After they
handcuffed the guard and locked him up in the cafeteria, the thieves
first stole two white and grey parrots that speak a few words in
Arabic.
The thieves managed to seize the lion cub after throwing a blanket
over its head. Their attempt to capture her cage mate "Sakher"
failed after the animal showed fierce resistance.

"The whole operation lasted less than 30 minutes," Al-Shawwa
added. "The thieves must have visited the zoo before to examine the
place. The zoo was officially opened two months ago."
The manager said it was unclear to him why anyone would want to
steal a lion that consumes at least three kilograms of meat every
day. "This lion can't be bought or sold [in the black market]," he
noted.
"Now you see we are forced to put armed guards at this zoo to
protect our animals and birds," Al-Shawwa told the media.

Police believe the animals have not been taken out of the Gaza
Strip, and are being imprisoned, perhaps by a Mafia-style gang.
There are suspicions that Sabrina was kidnapped to be kept as a show
of strength by a criminal gang.
They have received intelligence suggesting that Sabrina is still
alive, but appear no closer to catching the kidnappers.

Sakher has been traumatized by the loss of Sabrina, refusing to eat
his meat and acting listless, Al-Shawwa said.

The Gaza zoo opened in October 2005 - a sign of normalization for
many Palestinians looking for improvement in their lives after
Israel withdrew from the coastal strip in September 2005. The
strip's previous zoo in the border town of Rafah was destroyed in an
Israeli army operation in May 2004.

There was no news about Sabrina's whereabouts for more than 20
months, and there had been growing concern about her safety; but on
Monday, the 9th of July 2007 the world media brought the good news.

Hamas officials in Gaza managed to return the lioness "Sabrina' to
its home in the Gaza private zoo, more than 20 months after it was
stolen at gunpoint.

Members of Hamas' executive force located the big cat that was taken
from its Gaza home in November 2005 during a raid on a reputed crime
family's home.
Local authorities also seized a significant amount of weapons and
drugs during the police raid and after exchanging fire with the
gunmen. There was no word on the Arabic-speaking parrots.

Zoo officials said the animal's captors had been using Sabrina as a
prop, charging people five shekels ($1.40) to be photographed with
her.
The lioness was found malnourished and missing the tip of her tail,
along with four teeth and several claws.
"The thieves had cut off the end of her tail, the black hair that is
considered to be the symbol of pride of African lions. I am very sad
for her, She must have felt very humiliated," said zoo veterinarian
Sa'oud Al-Shawwa.
Vets who examined Sabrina said she looked in poor health and shows
signs of traumatic stress disorder and maybe mistreatment.
Sa'oud Al-Shawwa, who owns the zoo the lioness was forcibly taken
from, said the feline would receive immediate medical care to nurse
it back to health.
"We will start a long, arduous treatment to ensure she can survive.
She will only eat minced meat from now on, so we feel sorry for
her," he told the media. "They should punish the criminals who did
this."

Sabrina was stolen soon after she and her brother, Sakher, were
brought to Gaza from Egypt as cubs. She was found during a Hamas
raid on the compound of a Gaza clan.
The Hassanein family lives in a large compound that houses dozens of
families and can call on hundreds of gunmen in disputes. A group of
gunmen overpowered the zoo's night watchmen and threw blankets over
Sabrina.
They also tried to take Sakher, but he managed to scare them off.

The lioness, the only one of its species in the entire Gaza Strip,
was stolen by members of the powerful Hassanein clan, which is known
for its involvement in weapons and drug trafficking.
Although the Palestinian Authority security forces knew the identity
of the thieves, they never made an attempt to restore the lioness.
Even when members of the clan strolled the streets of Gaza City with
their "pet", Palestinian Authority policemen never tried to arrest
them.

Sources in Gaza City said some 50 members of Hamas's paramilitary
Executive Force on Sunday (8 July 2007) night raided the homes of
some of the Hassanein clan in the Shajaiyeh neighborhood and
confiscated the lioness, which was suffering from malnutrition and
exhaustion.

The sources said the leaders of the clan were known for their close
ties with senior Fatah political and security officials in the Gaza
Strip. During the raid, the Hamas militiamen also confiscated
various types of drugs and dozens of rifles and pistols.
The raid on the homes of the Hassaneins was part of a major
crackdown on large and influential clans in the Gaza Strip whose
members have been responsible for the anarchy and lawlessness.

Sabrina had last been seen during a recent Muslim holiday at a Gaza
photography studio where her captors charged about a dollar for a
picture with the lioness.

Sabrina and Sakher were bought from Egypt soon after their birth in
2005. The zoo had been closed for years but reopened in October 2005
after Israel's withdrawal from the coastal strip.

"Sabrina is very tired and very sick," he said. "I do not think her
teeth will come in again, so we'll have to feed her minced meat and
give her medicine."
Sabrina was given a big bubble bath on her return to the Zoo and a
good rub down by keepers before a giant sack of catnip was placed in
her sleeping quarters along with other local herbal extracts that
Palestinian-domiciled lions appear to be so fond of and which seem
to send them off into a very peaceful restorative sleep.

Zoo officials said Sakher had roared inconsolably when his sister
was stolen. Reunited, he instantly recognized Sabrina, and nuzzled
her neck and started pawing her in controllably and drooling all
over her unkempt and manky coat; both were `overjoyed' and the two
siblings began to play. The two playfully swatted each other in the
face and chased each other. When a zoo guard tried to pet Sabrina,
Sakher crouched as if ready to pounce on him.

The feline's fate was brighter than that of other game animals in
Palestinian zoos. In May 2004 several animals were killed when the
strip's previous zoo in the border town of Rafah was destroyed in an
Israeli army operation.

In the West Bank town of Qalqiliya in 2002, three zebras died of
tear gas inhalation and a giraffe was killed during a riot against
Israeli security forces.
Later that year, the West Bank zoo received a gift of three lions,
two zebras and three ibexes from Israel.



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Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). The
Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and
Groves 1976) in Palestine. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological
Bulletin. 2007.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Palestine_Sand_Cat.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007). Die
Sandkatze oder Wüstenkatze (Felis margarita, Loche 1858). Gazelle:
Das Palaestinensische Biologische Bulletin. 2007. (Article in
German; References in English, German and Arabic).
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Sandkatze.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) at Al Ain Zoo, Al Ain,
United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The Palestinian Biological Bulletin.
2007. (Article in Arabic; References in English and German). Khalaf-
Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Behavioural Observations on the Arabian Sand Cat (Felis margarita
harrisoni, Hemmer, Grubb and Groves 1976) at the Arabia's Wildlife
Centre, Desert Park, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. 2007. (Article in Arabic;
References in English and German).
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher (2007).
Felidae Arabica. A Zoological Journey in Palestine, Arabia and
Europe between 1980-2007 / Felidae Arabica. Eine Zoologische Reise
in Palaestina, Arabien und Europa zwischen 1980-2007. Erste Auflage
(First Edition), Juli 2007, 300 pp. Norman Ali Khalaf, Rilchingen-
Hanweiler, Deutschland & Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic,
German and English). www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Felidae_Arabica.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(2008). The Story of Sabrina, the Gaza Zoo Lioness. Gazelle: The
Palestinian Biological Bulletin. Number 73, January 2008. pp. 1-20.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(Text) and Nora Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf (Drawings) (2008). Qisset
Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza (The Story of the
Lioness Sabrina at the Gaza Zoo). Gazelle: The Palestinian
Biological Bulletin. Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. (in Arabic).
http://khalaf.homepage24.de/The%20Story%20of%20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%
20Zoo%20Lioness
Khalaf-Sakerfalke von Jaffa, Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher
(Text) and Nora Norman Ali Bassam Khalaf (Drawings) (2008). Qisset
Al-Labu'a Sabrina fi Hadiqet Haywanat Ghaza / The Story of Sabrina,
the Gaza Zoo Lioness. First Edition. Dr. Norman Ali Khalaf-von
Jaffa, Rilchingen-Hanweiler, Germany & Sharjah, United Arab
Emirates. (Publication in Summer 2008, in Arabic and English). ISBN
978-9948-03-603-6. English article Website:
http://www.geocities.com/jaffacity/Gaza_Lioness_Sabrina.html &
Arabic Story Website: http://khalaf.homepage24.de/The%20Story%20of%
20Sabrina,%20the%20Gaza%20Zoo%20Lioness
Los Angeles Times. In Gaza, a lion's return brings hope.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-
gazaguns17aug17,1,7438090.story?coll=la-headlines-
world&ctrack=1&cset=true
Santa Fe New Mexican. Masked gunmen steal lion cub, parrots from
Gaza zoo. http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/35662.html
Science Daily. Kidnapped lioness freed by Hamas in Gaza.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=TopNews&article=UPI-1-
20070710-16390700-bc-mideast-lioness.xml
Sky News. Lioness in Gaza.
http://news.sky.com/skynews/picture_gallery/picture_gallery/0,,30200-
1274516-1,00.html
The Age. Hamas rescues captive robbed of pride.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/hamas-rescues-captive-robbed-of-
pride/2007/07/10/1183833516204.html
The First Post. The Gaza Lioness.
http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?storyID=7680 The
Independent. Hamas returns kidnapped lioness to zoo in Gaza City.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/article2750477.ece
The Jerusalem Post. Hamas takes pride in freeing lion.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?
pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1183980034462
The Spoof. Gaza lioness freed after two years, reunited with
brother. http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s3i21644
Washington Post. Hamas Force Returns Lion Stolen in Gaza.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-
dyn/content/article/2007/07/09/AR2007070900888.html



Author & Webmaster: Dr. Sc. Norman Ali Bassam Ali Taher Khalaf-
Sakerfalke von Jaffa. (2008).