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APBY KATHARINE HOURELD
BERBERA, Somalia (AP) - Their mother was shot and they were driven through a raging civil war, destined to be pets in the Middle East - until Somali authorities intervened to save two lion cubs smuggled aboard a ship in the chaotic country's port.
The two tiny cubs, a brother and sister, are believed to be rare Berbera lions because of their spotted coats. They were confiscated four weeks ago after Mogadishu's port manager reported his suspicions to Bancroft, an organization which is training African Union peacekeepers in the war-ravaged Somali capital.
It's not the first time animals have been spotted in the hands of traffickers, but it is the first time they have been confiscated, said Richard Bailey, who works in Mogadishu for Albany Associates. Trafficked animals are believed to be sent to private buyers in places like Dubai and the Far East.
Bailey's company has a contract to help the peacekeeping force with public relations.
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