The airline employees were astounded by what they discovered inside the box when it was eventually opened. Imagine the surprise when an unmarked wooden box at Beirut’s airport revealed its amazing contents after being left unattended for a whole week.
The small, 16-inch-tall box with a few holes appeared normal until security guards took an interest in it and wondered what it was. Inside, they discovered something quite remarkable. Three Siberian tiger cubs, a critically endangered species, fell out in a sorry state.
These small creatures, barely hanging on at four months old, were drenched in their own pee and feces. It’s amazing they made it out alive, crammed into a space so tiny they were unable to stand and their condition was just horrible.
The rescue organization that subsequently got involved, Animals Lebanon, stated that “nothing indicated that the box contained tigers or even live animals”.
The cubs were being moved from the Samer al-Husainawi Zoo in Damascus, Syria, to the Nikolaev Zoo in Ukraine. The package arrived in Lebanon seven days later than scheduled because to incorrect labeling and legal problems.
The cubs’ condition was heartbreaking. They were severely infested with insects, malnourished, and dehydrated. “There were dozens and dozens of maggots crawling about in the box when we eventually managed to get them out of it”. Check out the video bellow to learn more about their story and see the adorable cubs who fortunately have survived!