CAIRO: A new Egyptian daily television series to be aired this Ramadan using a lion that was sedated for 10 straight days during the shooting is drawing criticism from animal welfare groups and animal lovers alike. The show, Ramez Qalb al-Asad, or “Ramez the lion heart,” features actor Ramez Galal and is produced and aired on al-Hayat TV channel. The show used a 14-year-old lion, most likely “borrowed” from the Egyptian National Circus, and is upsetting people in the country since the lion, that temporarily lived in the studio for the duration of the filming, was sedated daily. Faten el-Helw, prominent lion tamer at the circus, is handling the lion, named As'ad, and is the one behind the deal and the transportation to the studios of the channel with the animal. Animal welfare activists in the country are saying that there were two lions being used in the show, both “owned” by trainer el-Helw. The second lion, named Alaa, is 10-years-old. Activists have started a Facebook page aimed at boycotting the show and raising awareness about animal abuse in media and calling for proper health checks on the animals. The page, which has seen 74 people already join, says the show is “abusing the animals.” “Must stop abuse now, immediately: at Egyptian Production City, a 10-year-old lion is given anesthetics each day to film a program for Ramadan,” wrote Dina Zulfakar, animal welfare activists and administrator of the page. “This is life threatening to the lion,” she added. The show used the sedated lions as a “trick prop,” where the guests of each episode are faced with the animal in a closed elevator and the camera is recording their reactions. Some activists have written complaints to the channel and posted it on their Facebook page, but are yet to receive any response from al-Hayat. The same channel is also airing another program called “animal tales from the Qur'an,” an animation and live action show that teaches children and young adults stories of animals from the holy book. Zulfakar wrote on the Facebook page questioning “how could the same channel air a show that promotes mercy to animals and another that abuses them?” There are no animal protection laws in Egypt and the government-affiliated Egyptian Animal Welfare Society is considered a failed organization by many activists for its absence and neglect to animal welfare issues in Egypt. BM
