Lion and bear safely removed from zoo in war-torn Iraq

Animal welfare activists have managed to remove a lion and a bear who found themselves stuck in a zoo in war-torn Iraq.

A New Zealand cameraman, Anton Leach, is among the group that helped to get Simba and Lula safely out of the Mosul zoo and the city.

In a Facebook post put up yesterday, animal welfare charity FOUR Paws International shared the good news that its members had finally got the animals out.

"We did it! Lula and Simba are at a safe place outside of Mosul.

"The animals and the FOUR Paws team are all well.

"We are intensively working on the logistics to get the animals to a safe and nice new home.''

WE DID IT!!! Lula and Simba are at a safe place outside of Mosul! The animals and the FOUR PAWS team are all well. We...

Posted by FOUR PAWS International on Saturday, 8 April 2017

There have been a number of attempts to get the animals out since late last month.

The group's efforts to get Lula and Simba out the first time was hampered when they were stopped at the border and soldiers refused to let them pass.

As a result, the animals had to be taken back to the zoo, which had literally turned into a battlefield in the last few months.

The zoo had been home to up to 50 animals and the majority had starved to death.

FOUR Paws International veterinary Dr Amir Khalil has previously said that the hope is to get the animals to a wildlife sanctuary in nearby Jordan.