Bear and lion rescued from war-torn Mosul's zoo

A lion and a bear who have just been rescued from Mosul's zoo, are waiting to be allowed to fly out of the country and into safety.

The animals nearly starved to death in their cages while the war raged around them in the Iraqi city.

Several other animals at the zoo died from neglect, but the lion and bear were finally rescued by the animal charity Four Paws.

Mosul is in federal Iraq, and the nearest airport is Irbil, in the self-governing territory of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The first attempt to move the animals failed as Kurdish authorities refused to allow them to enter the autonomous region, and they had to move back into the zoo.

Four Paws said on Sunday it was optimistic that the animals would be allowed to cross into Kurdish territory and leave the country.

While they wait, they are being looked after by a veterinary team but are unwell - the bear has pneumonia, and the lion has joint conditions.

There are several other animals stuck in the zoo, including three monkeys, three peacocks, two goats, and a pregnant horse.