Videos of dogs and puppies are among the most endearing ones on the Internet, and having a lion cub with a sweet dog makes a video even more endearing.
In 2014, a mother lion rejected her cub. They lived in a zoo in Sri Lanka, and zoo employees were concerned about how the cub would be raised. The caregivers wanted the cub to be robust and to receive all of the necessary maternal care, so they had the idea to have the lion cub raised by a dog instead of another lioness. The staff then placed the lion cub with a litter of newborn puppies in the hope that the mother dog would adopt the lion cub.
The dog was initially uninterested in the cub, but after only a few hours, she began to exhibit the same maternal affection she had shown to her litter. The dog responded positively and based her actions on her maternal emotions.
Heshan Mendis, the dog’s owner, stated that it took the dog only five to six hours to change her mind and begin treating the cub as her own puppy. It was really amazing to watch.
It was not only the mother dog that welcomed the cub into the litter – the puppies did as well. The puppies even appeared unconcerned by the presence of the lion cub. And just like a real litter, the puppies and the cub played together.
As the lion cub matured, it needed to be relocated to a home that resembled its natural habitat. It was then brought to a zoo before being transferred to a wildlife preserve. The cub had matured into a fully grown lion by then.
The lion cub was extraordinarily fortunate, as his canine mother was able to share her love with her despite being of another species.
Source: BBC News
