The Story of the last lion of Afghanistan.

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The last lion of Afghanistan “MARJAN” became the symbol of Afghanistan Suffering. Born in 1976 he came in Afghanistan at the age of 2 as a gift from Germany to Afghanistan government for capital city Kabul. At the end of Soviet occupation in 1989 Afghanistan entered in the period of civil war that continued till 1992. Kabul plunged into chaos.

Its zoo was in the middle of the battlefield. It was bombed several time and lost its nursing station. In 1995 a soldier entered into Lions enclosure to show his bravery, Starving Marjan attacked him and killed him. The following day, soldier’s brother threw a grenade at Marjan face. Marjan lost his sight, his hearing and Jaw. Soldier’s broth was murdered a week later. In 1996 Taliban invaded the Kabul and the Zoo was abounded. The zoo employees who no longer receive salary begged to feed the animals but many of them were killed and most were died some of them eaten by starving population. Twenty six years earlier this zoo was the home of 417 animals but in 1998 only 19 were alive including two lions. People regularly threw stones on them. When the Americans took over Kabul in 2001 after six week of bombings marjan was Afghanistan’s last lion. That’s when world has discovered his story. He received Veterinary care for the first time in years. Unfortunately he died after several weeks in January 2002. He turned into the symbol of Afghanistan sufferings. A memorial was created in his honor inside the zoo.