Lion kisses the hand of his dog companion, gets 58M views

This lion purposefully kisses the paw of her dog friend, showcasing a tremendous connection that defies the law of nature.

Lions and dogs are totally different in so many ways, such as lifestyle, diet, and instincts. Many would totally agree that they can never live alongside each other.

However, the case is different between Miki, the lion, and Camila, the dog. Being raised together since they’re babies, these two created a magical bond that defies science.

To read more on this story, click here: Lion kisses the hand of his dog companion, gets 58M views

FOLLOW US!

Artist Turns Nuts, Bolts, and Scrap Metal Into Life-Size Animal Sculptures

While most of us dispose of old car parts and unused cutlery at the dump, Aloha, Oregon-based artist Brian Mock turns scrap metal into fantastic outdoor sculptures. He collects use and discarded materials—such as screws, nuts, and bolts—and assembles them into human and animal forms.

Mock has been exploring a number of artistic practices from an early age, but discovered his love of upcycling art in the 1990s. He taught himself how to weld, allowing him to visualize his artistic ideas as metal sculptures. Today, he’s creating an entire zoo of metallic animals—including dogs, cats, and larger-than-life lions—all from 100% reclaimed materials. Mock chooses each piece of scrap metal carefully to fit the forms of his subjects—dog tails are depicted as flexible metal chains, and floppy ears are crafted from large sheets of curved steel.

To read more on this story, click here: Artist Turns Nuts, Bolts, and Scrap Metal Into Life-Size Animal Sculptures

FOLLOW US!

Rescue Bear, Lion, And Tiger Were Best Friends For Almost 16 Years

We sometimes hear about “strange bedfellows” and there may be times when this occurs between different animals. The following story will convince you of the possibilities that exist in nature. It is about the bond that was formed between an American black bear, a Bengal tiger, and an African lion.

Bored Panda reported that Baloo the bear, Leo the lion, and Shere Khan have been living happily together at Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter in Georgia for almost 16 years. The trio of unlikely friends is usually known as BLT. They were rescued from the same basement of a house in Atlanta during a drug raid in 2001.

To read more on this story, click here: Rescue Bear, Lion, And Tiger Were Best Friends For Almost 16 Years

FOLLOW US!

27 “Facts” About Animals You Have All Wrong

Spoiler alert: you may never order grilled octopus again.

Myth: Felines and canines are colorblind

Although it was long believed that our furry companions had limited vision and only saw certain colors, it’s not the case. Cats and dogs have much better color eyesight than we thought. Both can see shades of blue and green. In fact, cats have way more light-sensing cells or rods in their eyes than humans do, and that’s why they can see better in low-light situations. Of course that doesn’t explain why they sometimes act that way they do.

To read more on this story, click here: 27 “Facts” About Animals You Have All Wrong

FOLLOW US!

Hubert and Kalisa, Longtime African Lion Partners at the L.A. Zoo, Are Euthanized

After living long lives, the L.A. Zoo’s African lion companions Hubert and Kalisa have died, zoo officials said Thursday.

The lions, both 21 years old, were euthanized after age-related health problems began diminishing their quality of life, the L.A. Zoo said in a news release.

Hubert and Kalisa shared a strong bond that was visible to guests and staff over the past six years of their companionship at the L.A. Zoo, said animal programs director Beth Schaefer.

“These lions were charismatic both together as partners and separately, but they were hardly ever apart from one another,” she said. “Their undivided attention was always on the other as they rested together, cuddled and nuzzled often.”

To read more on this story, click here: Hubert and Kalisa, Longtime African Lion Partners at the L.A. Zoo, Are Euthanized

FOLLOW US!

Mountain Lion Killed By Colorado Jogger Was Orphaned 'Kitten,' Officials Reveal

A young mountain lion that was strangled last month by a Colorado jogger the animal attacked was a 4-month-old orphan, state wildlife officials have revealed.

According to a necropsy, the young male had weighed an estimated 35 or 40 pounds. The inexperienced hunter may have been desperate for prey when he pounced on 31-year-old Travis Kauffman on a scenic trail in Fort Collins.

The mountain lion’s body, which had been partially eaten, likely by his two orphaned siblings, was recovered Feb. 4, the day of the attack.

Officials saw no trace of a mother, according to the necropsy by Colorado Parks and Wildlife veterinarians, which referred to the dead male as a “kitten,” though young mountain lions are usually called cubs.

“Mountain lions are solitary animals, only coming together for breeding,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesman Jason Clay told NBC News on Friday. “We had no signs of an adult female being anywhere near the scene that day, or in the following days, which is one reason why we think these kittens were orphaned.” Mountain lions are raised by their mothers alone.

To read more on this story, click here: Mountain Lion Killed By Colorado Jogger Was Orphaned 'Kitten,' Officials Reveal


You may be interested in reading: Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run


FOLLOW US!

Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Wildlife officials say a man who fought off a young mountain lion on a northern Colorado trail killed the animal by suffocating it.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says the man was running alone near Fort Collins when the lion attacked him from behind after the movement apparently triggered its hunting instincts.

The runner, whose name hasn’t been released, fought off the cougar, hiked out of the area after Monday’s attack and drove himself to a hospital. He suffered facial cuts, wrist injuries and puncture wounds to his arms, legs and back.

To read more on this story, click here: Mountain Lion Killed By Jogger After Attack During Run

FOLLOW US!

Albino Animals Are a Stunning Oddity of Nature

Albino animals are an odd freak of nature, appearing ghost-like in their all-white form contrary to the color of most of their fellow species. Yet, they can be quite beautiful in their plainness.

Some 300 species of animals in North America have these rare albino individuals that appear white because of a congenital absence of any pigmentation or coloration, resulting in white hair and pink or blue eyes in mammals.

In some cases, unusually white creatures are actually leucistic animals—those that feature a partial loss of pigmentation that doesn’t affect the eye color.

To read more on this story, click here: Albino Animals Are a Stunning Oddity of Nature


FOLLOW US!

Indianapolis Zoo: Male Lion Killed By Mother Of It’s Cubs

A lion at the Indianapolis Zoo was killed this week by another lion that it had cubs with, Zoo officials announced.

The zoo says a 10-year-old male African lion, Nyack, died Monday morning, after it was hurt by a female lion named Zuri. Zuri was OK.

Animal care staff heard "an unusual amount" of roaring from the outdoor lion yard, the zoo said in a news release. They responded and saw Zuri being aggressive with Nyack in the presence of the lions' 3-year-old daughter, Sukari.

To read more on this story, click here: Indianapolis Zoo: Male Lion Killed By Mother Of It’s Cubs


FOLLOW US!

These Incredible Animal Photos Show Why Steve Irwin’s Son Is An Award Winning Photographer

Being part of the legacy that Steve Irwin left behind must be no easy task, but Robert Irwin, his 13-year-old son makes it seem smooth and oh-so-easy. Robert and his family have always been involved with nature, and even as a baby, his love for it was obvious. Now as a young teenager, he has actually traveled around the world with his family, capturing nature while at it and becoming an award-winning photographer – yes, at just 13-years-old!

Regardless of his age, there is no question why his work has been recognized in several contests: the images he captures are raw and pretty up-close, giving people a more intimate glance at nature and wildlife through his images.

To read more on this story, click here: These Incredible Animal Photos Show Why Steve Irwin’s Son Is An Award Winning Photographer



FOLLOW US!

Artificial Insemination Used to Breed Lions for the First Time

Artificial insemination isn't new, but the technique is still breaking new ground -- and it might just save one of the world's better known species. South Africa's University of Pretoria has successfully used artificial conception with lions for the first time, producing two cubs (Isabel and Victor, above) who've been healthy since their birth on August 25th. This wasn't a simple case of repeating familiar methods, either. The researchers relied on a new approach that could represent a breakthrough for species conservation.

After collectiong sperm from a male lion, the team gauged the hormone levels of eligible females through blood samples to see when they would be well-suited to carrying the cubs. The only requirement was training the lionesses to rest next to a fence so that they could readily provide samples. Previous methods would have required moving the lions out of their existing habitat. Here, the females could stay in their existing environment.

To read more on this story, click here: Artificial Insemination Used to Breed Lions for the First Time 





FOLLOW US!

National Park Service Researchers Discovered a Litter of Four Mountain Lion Kittens: Possibly Products of Inbreeding

Thousand Oaks, California - National Park Service researchers discovered a litter of four mountain lion kittens, but they are suspected to be products of inbreeding.

Two boys and two girls were found in a remote area of the Santa Monica Mountains. They are now P-70, P-71, P-72 and P-73.

It is the fourth litter of kittens for mother P-19. Researchers believe she mated with P-56, a 3-year-old male who is also her grandson. P-56 is also a product of inbreeding, as his mother mated with P-12, who is his father and grandfather.

Genetic testing is required to confirm the paternity for P-56, but researchers found that two mountain lions spent about 90 days together before the birth of a kitten and that's the gestation period for mountain lions.

National Park Service biologists took tissue samples, conducted a general health check and marked the kittens with ear tags.

Researchers have studied P-19 since she was four weeks old, and she is now 8 years old. Of the seven kittens from her previous litters, four died, two were never given GPS collars and one is confirmed to be alive.

Various entities, including Caltrans, are working on a plan to build a wildlife crossing bridge over the 101 Freeway in the Liberty Canyon area.


FOLLOW US!

MGM Resorts Defended Its Safety Practices Wednesday, After Amateur Video Surfaced Showing A Lion Attacking Its Trainer

MGM Resorts defended its safety practices Wednesday after amateur video surfaced showing a lion attacking its trainer inside its habitat at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, as horrified visitors to the hotel looked on.

The video shows two trainers along with a lion and a lioness inside the habitat.

The trainer was treated and released from the hospital after the incident earlier this month, MGM Resorts spokesman Gordon Absher said in a statement Wednesday.

The video shows two trainers along with a lion and a lioness inside the habitat – a popular attraction at the hotel that opened more than 13 years ago.

At first, the lions appear relaxed, lying down as the trainers stand nearby. The male lion then shifts his body weight and looks at the trainer nearest to him before the camera turns its focus to the other lion and second trainer. The lions couldn’t hear the noisy crowd outside the sound-proof enclosure. Moments before the attack they appeared calm. The male lion even yawned, and then started glaring at one of the trainers. Another trainer noticed something might be wrong and approached the lion. Then came the attack.

Gasps are then heard from onlookers and the video reveals the male lion wrestling with the trainer closest to him. With help from the other trainer, the man gets away, even as the lion appears to continue to stalk him. The lioness may have been trying to stop the attack.

                              Two trainers are alone with a lion and a lioness inside the habitat.

                                    The lion suddenly attacks the trainer closest to him.

                                   The other trainer tries to stop the lion with help of lioness

                                          He finally escapes from the male lion wrestling

Watch video:

FOLLOW US!

Nabisco Animal Crackers Boxes Got A Makeover And Now The Animals Are Roaming Free

Nabisco's parent company redesigned Barnum's Animal Crackers boxes to show the animals roaming free — and not in cages — after pressure from PETA.

These cookie critters are tasting freedom.

After spending 116 years behind bars, the majestic beasts on boxes of Nabisco Barnum’s Animals Crackers are no longer being depicted in lock-up.

Nabisco’s parent company, Mondelez International, redesigned the snack's packaging in response to pressure by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

PETA, which has denounced using animals in circuses, wrote a letter to Mondelez in the spring of 2016 calling for a redesign, according to AP.

“Given the egregious cruelty inherent in circuses that use animals and the public’s swelling opposition to the exploitation of animals used for entertainment,” PETA wrote to the food giant, “we urge Nabisco to update its packaging in order to show animals who are free to roam in their natural habitats.”

Mondelez agreed and started working on a makeover.

Rebooted cookie boxes, which declare “new look, same great taste,” are on U.S. store shelves now.

The new boxes have the same lettering and color scheme, but a zebra, elephant, lion, giraffe and gorilla wander side-by-side outside, instead of being confined in circus boxcars.

To read more on this story, click here: Nabisco Animal Crackers Boxes Got A Makeover And Now The Animals Are Roaming Free

FOLLOW US!

Notorious Gangster Known as Nutzu the Pawnbroker, Used Lions and Bears to Intimidate Victims

Bucharest, Romania - A notorious gangster known as Nutzu the Pawnbroker has been indicted for heading a gang charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, blackmail and illegally possessing weapons, but the public seems to be more interested in his pets: four lions and two bears.

Press reports, not confirmed by authorities have claimed that Ion Balint - his real name - use the lions to intimidate rivals and victims.

When he rode away from prison on a black stallion in 2010, Balint played up that fearsome image.

"You said I fed men to the lions?" Balint can be heard saying on a tape heard by The Associated Press. "Why don't you come over and I'll give you some lions!"

Authorities won't speculate about why Balint kept lions and bears, as well as thoroughbred horses and canaries, at his high-walled and heavily guarded estate in the poorest part of Bucharest.

"Many untruths are being reported," Balint's son-in-law Marius Vlad told The Associated Press on Wednesday, referring to other rumors of a torture chamber.

Bystanders and relatives who gathered near the gates of the estate described Balint, 48, as a good neighbor and an animal lover, and said they weren't bothered by roaring lions.

"We can hear them every day but only when they're hungry or the female is in heat," said Gabriela Ionescu, 36, robed in a dressing gown and clutching her toddler daughter's hand. "They don't disturb us at all."

Authorities allege that Balint and his brother Vasile headed a criminal network which controlled much of the underworld activity in Bucharest, a city of 2 million. Some 400 police and detectives were involved in the investigation which led to the arrest last week of 67 suspects, including the Balint brothers.

In 2009, Balint was convicted of human trafficking, violence and pimping, and sentenced to 13 years in prison. That was reduced to six years but Balint was free after a year.

On Wednesday, the four lions and two bears were sedated, put in cages and removed Wednesday by environmental authorities and the Vier Pfoten animal welfare charity. The animals, which generally appeared in good condition, will be temporarily housed in a zoo and may be eventually relocated in South Africa, animal welfare officers said.

Mircea Pupaza, commissioner of the National Environment Guard, told The Associated Press that Balint had no documentation or health records for the animals, which he's kept illegally for 10 years. He could face a year in prison and a hefty fine for illegally keeping wild animals.

"The lions are a status symbol for him," said Livia Cimpoeru, a Vier Pfoten spokeswoman. She declined to speculate whether they had a more sinister purpose.

Lions sit in a cage on the estate of Ion Balint in Bucharest. The animal welfare charity Vier Pfoten removed four lions and two bears that were illegally kept on the estate.

A bear chews on the bars of a cage at the estate of Ion Balint. He was convicted in 2009 for human trafficking, violence and pimping and sentenced to 13 years in prison. The sentence was later reduced to six years, but Balint was freed after serving one year.

A sedated lioness is removed from the estate of Ion Balint. He had no documentation for the animals, which police say he's kept illegally for 10 years.

                                        A bear reaches out from a cage.

FOLLOW US!

Dozens Of Lion Trophy Permits Issued To Hunters As Trump Rolls Back Import Hurdles

The federal government has issued more than three dozen permits allowing hunters to import lion trophies from two African nations since 2016, according to copies of the applications obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. 

The documents, obtained by the group Friends of Animals, provide insight into the often secretive permitting process to import threatened or endangered species killed abroad during luxury hunting trips. Thirty-three Americans were issued permits to import 38 lion trophies between 2016 and 2018, at least half of whom have donated to Republican lawmakers or are affiliated with the hunting lobby Safari Club International.

It’s unclear how many permit applications are currently before the agency or how many were issued in past years. In a statement, the Fish and Wildlife Service said that all permit applications are carefully reviewed and granted only if they meet several legal standards in accordance with international treaties and other requirements of the country in which the animal was hunted.

“Legal, well-regulated hunting as part of a sound management program can benefit the conservation of certain species by providing incentives to local communities to conserve the species and by putting much-needed revenue back into conservation,” the statement read.

To read more on this story, click here: Dozens Of Lion Trophy Permits Issued To Hunters As Trump Rolls Back Import Hurdles

FOLLOW US!

Exotic Pets Could Soon Be Banned in Arlington County, Virginia

Pet lions and crocodiles could soon become illegal in Arlington, Virginia.

Surprised they aren't already? Turns out, many D.C.-area jurisdictions ban exotic or wild animals as pets -- but Arlington isn't one of them. Yet.

Now the Arlington County Board is considering whether to hold a public hearing on whether to ban keeping these animals as pets.

"Under current County Code, Arlington bars the keeping of pigs, fowl and poisonous reptiles. But there's nothing now on the books to prevent residents from raising a lion, monkey or even a crocodile," Arlington officials said in a press release Friday.

The change would also prohibit the keeping of wolves, raccoons, lynxes, alligators, tarantulas, hedgehogs and sugar gliders. Non-poisonous snakes or other reptiles longer than four feet would also be banned.

However, there would be an exception for some exotic pets already owned by residents. Those pet owners would be able to keep their animals if they register them with animal control, officials said.

Officials said the ban would aim to prevent humans from getting hurt and animals from being mistreated.

Arlington officials said in their release that D.C., Fairfax, Prince William and Montgomery counties all already have similar laws on the books.
During a board meeting Saturday, Arlington County Board members will consider a request to advertise a March 18 public hearing on the issue.
Arlington residents will also be able to comment several other ways:
By using Arlington's online CiviComment tool.

Mail or hand-deliver comments to: Arlington County Department of Human Services, Attn: Lyn Hainge, 2100 Washington Blvd., Second Floor, Arlington, VA 22204.

Speak at the (proposed) public hearing, which would be held March 18 at 8:30 a.m. in the County Board Room (2100 Clarendon Blvd., third floor, Arlington).
Email comments to animals@arlingtonva.us.

FOLLOW US!

Four Rare White Lions Cubs Were Born in the Zoo Safari in Borysew, Poland

Borysew, Poland - Four rare white lion cubs have been born in a private zoo in central Poland.

The lion cubs were born on Sunday at the Zoo Safari in Borysew and are doing well under the care of their mother, 5-year-old Azira. They are the fourth litter for Azira and 7-year-old Sahim. There are at most only a few hundred white lions in the world.

Head of the zoo Andrzej Pabich said the genders of the cubs was unknown because keepers have not touched them yet.

On Thursday, a white tiger also gave birth at the zoo, and Pabich believes there are three cubs.



FOLLOW US!

New U.S. Protections Could Crush ‘Canned’ Lion Hunting

The practice of so-called “canned” hunts, where hunters pay upwards of $20,000 to target African lions in huge, fenced-in areas, could be doomed thanks to the U.S. government’s move in December to protect the animals under the Endangered Species Act.

That’s because Americans make up a huge majority of the clientele participating in canned hunts—where lions are essentially bred for the purpose of hunting—according to the Humane Society of the United States.

In new data obtained from the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES) Database, the Humane Society found that a total of 719 African lions were imported to the U.S. in 2014, 620 of which came from South Africa—the epicenter of captive lion hunts.

In total, 429 lions were killed in South Africa’s canned hunts in 2014, and 363 of those lions were hunted by Americans—about 85 percent of the total.

  

To read more on this story, click here: New U.S.Protections Could Crush ‘Canned’ Lion Hunting

FOLLOW US!

Lioness Made Famous in BBC’s Long-Running Big Cat Diary Documentary Series Has Been Poisoned

Members of Kenya’s Marsh lion pride, made famous in BBC’s long-running Big Cat Diary documentary series, have reportedly been poisoned after eating a cow carcass in the Masai Mara Reserve.

So far, two lions have died—a lioness named Bibi and an unidentified lion, which was found in the field dead, fed on by scavengers. Another female named Sienna has been missing since Governor’s Camp manager Patrick Reynolds discovered the animals acting strange Sunday morning.

On Tuesday, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust posted on its Facebook page that an autopsy of Bibi found that traces of an insecticide had been used to poison the pride. The wildlife trust’s mobile veterinary unit is treating five other lions in the pride with antidotes for the poison, and reported that six white vultures were found dead near the location of the poisoned cow carcass.

The rest of the 13-member lion pride has been accounted for and remains under 24-hour watch by veterinarians and park rangers, according to Paula Kahumbu of the conservation group Wildlife Direct.

  

While it remains unclear who is responsible for the attacks, cattle herders who allow their cows to graze on grasses in the Masai Mara reserve are suspects. Lions can prey on the cows the herders bring on the land, and conflicts are becoming more frequent. A 2009 study in the Journal of Zoology found that illegal cattle grazing on protected land in Kenya’s Mara region has increased more than 1,100 percent since 1970.

On Tuesday, Kenyan Wildlife Service officials charged two men with poisoning the lions. If convicted, the men could face up to $200,000 in fines or life in jail.

“Kenya has never before charged a person with poisoning wildlife even though it is a frequent crime that is devastating populations of vultures lions and other predators,” Kahumbu said in a statement. “This is sending a shock wave of fear through the criminal networks.”

Conservationist and certified wildlife veterinarian Hayley Adams said the poisoning of the famous Marsh lion pride will help raise awareness of long-standing conflict issues between humans and Africa’s wildlife that’s been quietly escalating in recent years.

“Pastoralists have been retaliating with spears against lions that predate on their livestock, and now there have been growing instances of poisoning as it becomes easier to access,” said Adams, who has been working in East Africa for more than 20 years. “The problem will most likely get worse before it gets better.”

And when poachers or ranchers use poison, it affects more than just the animal they are targeting, it can affect an ecosystem. Animals not targeted, such as the vultures in this case, can end up dead.

Adams’ foundation works with local communities on health issues and also with wildlife conservation efforts.

“The educational angle we can take is getting the communities to understand that poisoning the animals can end up hurting themselves,” Adams said. “It can get in other species, which hurts ecotourism in the region, and it can get in the water supply.”

One option Masai Mara Reserve officials could look into to reduce lion-cow conflict would be to allow herders to graze cattle in the preserve during daylight hours, and ban cattle grazing at night. That system has been beneficial in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, south of the Masai Mara, to limit herders’ run-ins with lions.

“The way it is now, herders are bringing their cattle there under cover of night, when lions are more likely to hunt, because it’s illegal,” Adams said. “It’s a difficult situation, both for the lions, and the communities.”

  

                                                 Bibi with her lion cubs

FOLLOW US!