Heartbreaking images of starving lions sparks worldwide campaign to save the stunning cats

African lions are stunning creatures that have previously been labelled the “king” of cats. Recent images published of the ferocious creatures has left the public devastated as the big cats are known to be both regal and vicious.

However, the images show the big cats in a completely different light as they lay starving in cages.

The images show several lions emaciated and dying in a part of Khartoum in Sudan.

They were shared by advocate Osman Salih, and have garnered a huge amount of support on social media globally.

The hashtag #SudanAnimalRescue has since been trending across multiple platforms.

According to a Facebook post from Mr Salih on Monday, one of the lions has reportedly died.

He wrote: “The issue is not simply food but most importantly the animals need detailed and special treatment to rid them of infections and issues probably brought about from infested meat and poor diet.

“Seeing these animals caged and be treated this way made my blood boil.”

According to a report from Agency France-Presse (AFP), the animals are located in Al-Qureshi Park.

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African lions are now classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Their population dropped by a massive 43 percent between 1993 and 2014.

There are only around 20,000 alive today.

The average African lion lives for around 10 to 14 years.

An adult male should weigh around 190kg, while an adult female should weigh 130kg.

It comes as five people were killed in a deadly wedding blast in Sudan after a guest detonated a hand grenade.

The police announced the incident late on Monday.

It was not immediately clear whether the blast in the impoverished region of eastern Khartoum in the district of Haj Youssef was deliberate or an accident.

The health ministry also confirmed that a further 40 people who attended the wedding were also injured.

The security situation in the capital of Sudan remains fragile after the uprising that took place last year which saw the ousting of long-time autocrat Omar al-Bashir who ruled for 30 years.

source: express.co.uk