In a statement, Mr Butt said he regretted accepting the cub and acknowledged that “keeping wild animals in such circumstances is inappropriate”.

“As a social media influencer, I should create positive content. I was not authorised to keep the lion cub, and by doing so, I set a wrong example,” he added.

A court also ordered the wildlife department to help Mr Butt produce his educational content.

A wildlife officer reported Mr Butt to the police after seeing a video he posted to his YouTube channel last month, where he received the cub at his wedding.