The lioness who hugs hoodies

[question everything]

This is enough to warm even the wildest of hearts.

Deep in the African bush a lioness gives giant hug to the two men who saved her. As a cub, Sirga was driven out of her pride and rescued by Valentin Gruener and Mikkel Legarth who could not stand by and watch her die. Now the 110lb lioness has developed an incredible bond with the pair who are fighting to save her species in Botswana, southern Africa.

(snip)

Mr Legarth, 30, said his bond with Sirga was just like as if she was part of his pride. He said: 'A pride had three cubs and two were killed before Sirga was abandoned without food. It happened on our land and we could not standby and watch her die. We didn't want Sirga to become like other lions in captivity, constantly fed by streams of tourists. She only interacts with me and Valentin. 'She hunts her own food, taking antelopes and she will let us be near her when she eats it which is remarkable.

'Sirga doesn't mind people, but she doesn't pay them any attention. Wild lions are scared of people, the problem comes if you release a lion that is used to people in the wild, that can cause problems. With Sirga we want to release her to the wild eventually as a wild lion not as one that has met lots of people. That would be dangerous.'

The Modisa Wildlife Project aims at removing lions from areas where they face certain death after coming into conflict with farmers. Mr Legarth added: 'If you release wild lions somewhere else, they will come straight back to where they were before because there is food there. And if you just dump a pride of lions in the middle of a new territory they will disturb the prides that are already there.

(snip)

Mr Legarth added: 'We are located on Willie De Graaff's 10,000-hectare farm with lions, wild dogs and leopards that has been saved from certain death. We are now looking for sponsors that can support us with a long-term solution for those animals.'










http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2487102/Fancy-cuddle-Lioness-develops-incredible-heart-warming-bond-conservationists-rescued-abandoned-pride.html

[cali]

1. amazing pics. thanks.

[gopiscrap]

2. that is really cool

[Rex]

3. The third pic! LOL!

The lion has this look like, 'what are you looking at, this is perfectly natural!"

[silverweb]

4. Beautiful!

[joeybee12]

5. What a great story and what a beautiful animal!

KNR

[sheshe2]

6. Beautiful, question everything.

Thank you.

[xchrom]

7. love all around. nt

[brer cat]

8. How lovely she is.

I can't imagine hugging a big cat, though. Good thing they are braver than I am.

[passiveporcupine]

9. In case you haven't read it

One of my favorite novels is "The Lion" by Joseph Kessel. A truly heartbreaking but beautiful story.

[eggplant]

10. "Kitty!" -Boo, Monsters, Inc. n/t

[question everything]

11. "Kitty," indeed

There is video in this link, where they play with her and, frankly, I thought they were brave the way she would grab a leg or an arm.

But there was one scene where she was moving back, shaking her back and jump forward, just like kitties when they jump on something.

[bvar22]

12. Very cool.....but not very smart.

There is a reason why Lions have never been domesticated.
Many people have imagined that they have bonded with infant Big Cats,
and have a special loving relationship that will protect them.
Many have died.

One guy did it with a Hippo in South Africa.
It ended badly.

Another, in Australia, actually tried this with a Salt Water Crocodile.
He had a "special" relationship.
You know what happened.

The horror stories about "special" relationships with the Big Cats
are too numerous to list here.

Wild Animals are Wild Animals,
and they ALL have the potential for behaving like wild animals,
no matter how "special" one imagines their relationship to be.

...but the photos are spectacular.

[Jenoch]

13. I tend to agree with you,

but just the other night on PBS I saw a documentary about a guy in Alaska who has a wildlife sanctuary and he has several tame wolverines. I would think it would be easier to domesticate a cat than a wolverine.

The question I have is, how are they going to get an existing pride to accept her?

[NCTraveler]

14. Photos are spectacular.

I agree with what you say. After one of the cats attack, it will be put down for being "aggressive".