Criminal proceedings have been launched after a zoo executive in southern Russia was caught attempting to sell a lion cub, police said on Monday.
The official acted as an intermediary in a 170,000 ruble ($5,300) deal which involved undercover policemen, regional police said in a press release. He faces a fine of up to 500,000 rubles ($15,600) if found guilty.
The cub, which is about two months old, had been used for tourist photoshoots in the Krasnodar region. It is now back in the zoo.
