Vadim Ghirda / AP

A bear chews the bars of a cage at the estate of Ion Balint, known to Romanians as Nutzu the Pawnbroker, a notorious gangster, in Bucharest, Romania, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013. Authorities along with specialists of the animal welfare charity Vier Pfoten removed four lions and two bears that were illegally kept on the estate of one of Romania’s most notorious underworld figures who reportedly used them to threaten his victims. Balint was arrested on Feb. 22, with dozens of others on charges of attempted murder, depriving people of their freedom, blackmail and illegally holding arms. Read the full story.

Vadim Ghirda / AP

A sedated lion is positioned in a transport cage, at the estate of Ion Balint.

This stunt appears to be a combination of fund raising, an internet reality television show and a Guinness World Record attempt, according to stories online. The female lion, Katya, is due to deliver a cub during that time.

Gleb Garanich / Reuters

Zoo owner and artist Aleksandr Pylyshenko lies next to female African lion Katya inside a cage at a private zoo situated in his yard in the city of Vasilyevka, southeastern Ukraine August 3. Pylyshenko decided to spend five weeks in a cage with a pair of African lions, Katya and Samson, to get money for improving the lions' living conditions, according to local media. He is broadcasting it on internet to attract the public's attention to plight of wild animals in private Ukrainian zoos, which do not get enough funding.

Gleb Garanich / Reuters

Zoo owner and artist Aleksandr Pylyshenko paints a picture inside a cage with female African lion Katya, at a private zoo situated in his yard.

Sergei Supinsky / AFP - Getty Images

A kitten sits in front of Alexander Pylyshenko and African lioness Katya in his private zoo.

Jacquelyn Martin / AP

Lioness Shera herds three of her seven lion cubs, while they play, at the Smithsonian's National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2010, during the cubs' public debut.

Seven lion cubs were born at the zoo this year in two litters and were the first in more than 20 years. The mothers, Nababiep and Shera are sisters. You can see the lions on the zoo's lion cam.