A Man Rescued and Raised a Lion Cub in a Wildlife Park: Each Time They Meet the Lion Holds Him in an Affectionate Embrace

Valentin Gruener, rescued a young lion cub In 2012.  He raised him at a wildlife park in Botswana. Little did he know that this would be the start of an extraordinary relationship. Now an astonishing scene is repeated each time they meet - the young lion leaps on Gruener, and holds him in an affectionate embrace.

The lion cub, Sirga, was rescued from a holding pen established by a farmer, who was tired of shooting animals that preyed on his cattle.

"The lions had already killed two of the three cubs inside the cage. And the mother abandoned the remaining cub. She was very tiny, maybe about 10 days old," said Gruener.

The farmer, Willy de Graaf, asked Gruener to try to save her.  He agreed and took her to a wildlife park, financed by de Graaf and became her adoptive mother, "feeding her and taking care of her".

"You have this tiny cute animal sitting there and it's already quite feisty," he says. "It will become about 10 times that size and you will have to deal with it."

She's much bigger now, and when Gruener opens her cage, she still rushes to greet him,- ecstatically throwing her paws around his neck.

"This happens every time I open the door. It is an amazing, and happens every time we meet.  It's such a passionate thing for this animal to jump and give me a hug," says Gruener.

"But I guess it makes sense. At the moment she has no other lions with her in the cage and I guess for her I'm like her species. So I'm the only friend she's got. Lions are social cats so she's always happy to see me."

They spend their time hanging out in the Botswana bush, doing the kind of things that cats enjoy, such as lying around under trees, play-fighting, and hunting.

"I don't believe we have to teach the lion to hunt. They have this instinct like a domestic cat or even a dog that will try to hunt. Any cat will catch a bird or a mouse. The lion will catch an antelope when it gets big enough," said Gruener.

"I'm definitely giving her that opportunity to hunt, about three times a week at the moment. Each walk takes five hours - sometimes up to nine. We sort of hunt together and I'm helping to show her how to kill something rather than catch it."

After Sirga's first kill, Gruener wasn't sure if it would still be safe for him to get close to the lion. But "she let me come in", he says.

"It's a bit cruel because she will catch an antelope and hold it down, and when it gets tired she could simply go and bite it in the throat and kill it. But because it's so exciting she's like a cat that keeps on playing with the mouse.

"It's not so lovely to watch when a lion has an antelope in front of her and she's having fun playing with this antelope."

Willy de Graaf has given Gruener two miles or land to create a "miniature park" where Sirga can roam freely, but she will not be released into the wild. Not because she could not survive, Gruener says, but because she has lost her fear of humans.

Under those circumstances she is likely to get too close to humans, and if there is an accident she will end up getting shot. "And that's not really the whole point of raising a lion," said Gruener.

In the park Sirga can live like a wild lion, but remain safe, he says. "That's the plan for her future."

And what of his own future? Gruener has put aside work on a PhD while he has been raising Sirga, and has hardly ever left her alone.

"If she gets into a bigger enclosure with gets more space, then maybe I can get another lion to give her companionship. Then I would be able to leave her for longer periods of time, and I can finish my studies.

"But as long as she needs me, and as long as I feel I want to be there, she I will be my priority.

"I doubt anything will change much between me and her."

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Cosmetics Giant L'Oreal has Severed Ties with the Belgian World Cup Fan Whose Good Looks Swept the Internet After Controversy Over Her Hunting Trip Photographs

Cosmetics giant L'Oreal has severed ties with the Belgian World Cup fan who won a modelling contract after being spotted in the crowd after it emerged she is a fan of big game hunting.

Axelle Despiegelaere, 17, caught the world's attention after being photographed cheering on her national team in the Group H match against Russia - with the image widely shared online.

But L'Oreal has confirmed that the modelling contract it awarded her as a result of her new-found fame has already been cancelled after a photo emerged of the teenager posing with a rifle and a dead animal in Africa.

Discovered: 17-year-old Axelle Despiegelaere won a contract to model for L'Oreal after this image of her at the World Cup went viral. But after photographs of her hunting emerged, the cosmetics firm ended the relationship.

                                Axelle Despiegelaere pictured with a rifle and an animal while on a hunting trip in Africa


As a result of her appearance during the World Cup, Despiegelaere landed a contract to star in a L’Oréal Professionnel Belgique social media campaign, including a 'hair tutorial' video.

But within days of the announcement it emerged she is a fan of big game hunting, with a photograph her Facebook page showing her posing with a rifle and the bloodied corpse of a large Gemsbok antelope.

The image was reportedly accompanied with the caption: "Hunting is not a matter of life or death. It's much more important than that."

Now L'Oreal - which is keen to promote itself as sympathetic to animal welfare concerns - has decided to end its association with Despiegelaer.

Speaking to The Independent, the cosmetics giant said: "L’Oréal Professionnel Belgium collaborated with her on an ad hoc basis to produce a video for social media use in Belgium. The contract has now been completed."

World Cup winner: The photos of Axelle cheering on her team at the Group H game against Russia helped launch her career

Well-liked: After returning home to Belgium, Axelle set up a professional Facebook which has now been 'liked' over 200,000 times.

The L'Oreal spokesperson added that, although the brand was aware of the photograph of the hunting trip, it would not comment on whether it led to the decision to sever ties with Despiegelaere.

They were keen to stress, however, that L'Oréal "no longer tests on animals, anywhere in the world, and does not delegate this task to others."

L'Oreal has long promoted itself as sensitive to animal welfare concerns.

In 2012 the company donated $1.2million to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help improve the testing of safe chemicals.

In the photo which scored Despiegelaere her modelling contract she doned red, yellow and black face paint and a horned hat.

              Belgian beauty: The pictures of Axelle quickly went viral and appeared in newspapers around the world.

On Tuesday, Axelle announced that she had accepted a contract to model for L'Oreal. Now, three days later, that contract has been cancelled.

The pictures of happy Despiegelaere quickly went viral and appeared in newspapers across the world, launching her new career.

After returning home to Belgium, Despiegelaere set up a professional Facebook page which now has over 200,000 'likes'.

On Tuesday, she announced her decision to accept a contract modeling for L'Oreal and even posted a video of her trying out their hair products.

While Despiegelaere may have come out a winner in this year's World Cup, her national team was not so lucky.

After escaping Group H, Belgium went on to beat the U.S. before being defeated by Argentina.

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