Muzaffarnagar (Uttar Pradesh), Aug 13 - An African lion kept in a farm house of a former owner of a circus here will be shifted a Jaipur rehabilitation centre after the owner said he was unable to care for the big cat any more.

Rajiv Gupta, who once owned the Asian Circus, had been keeping the animal for the last seven years.

The lion was rescued from the farm house in the presence of the district forest officer, district magistrate and district police chief.

Arrangements were being finalised to transport the animal to a Jaipur based rehabilitation centre, said chief conservator of forests A.K. Dwivedi.

Due to his personal financial constraints, the circus owner requested the forest department to take the lion to a rehabilitation centre.