Lion hugs: a big cat and her loved man
A lioness named Sirga doesn’t know what social distance is. And at every opportunity she hugs Valentin Gruner. And this is not without reason- he is the most important person in her life!
Do not try this at home.
Hugs are the most sincere!
It all began 10 years ago, when tiny Sirga was left an orphan.
The people are to blame. The parents of the lion cub annoyed the farmers of Botswana a lot, so they were caught. Attempts to relocate and adapt wild predators were unsuccessful, they were eliminated. But in the process Sirga was born and then Gruner set up an experiment-he raised a »socially intelligent» beast.
The idea was crowned with success
Sirga is not a domestic cat. She lives free, hunts herself.
But the lioness learned from childhood that it was not necessary to touch people, and then there would be no problems.
For Sirga hunting grounds with an area of 2,000 hectares were allocated, where she is the queen.
There are no other lions there, so as not to influence badly. Sirga is the most responsible predator in its land.
Sirga oes not let other people approach her, but willingly wears a collar with a camera.
The success of the lioness’s »re-education» gives hope to Gruner’s colleagues for the salvation of other lions. If we can establish contact with wildlife and begin to coexist, the threat of their destruction will disappear.
