He was returned to his owner after Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen stepped in.
The Ministry of Environment said previously the lion was being kept illegally.
A pet lion that was confiscated by Cambodian authorities last month in an upscale Phnom Penh district has been returned to its owner after Prime Minister Hun Sen stepped in.
The lion's owner, whose name is Zhai Xinjiang, appealed to Cambodian authorities to have the lion returned.
"I am not troubled by the allegations that I used the animal to flaunt my wealth. I am just saddened by accusations that I mistreated the lion. I never removed his teeth or claws as alleged in the media and online. We loved him and he was a member of our family. We have never inflicted any harm on an animal," Zhai told the Khmer Times.