Zooming in on lions

Manager of the sanctuary, Kelly Duligal said the lions, a male and female named Daniel and Heidi, were born in captivity in South Africa, but found a home at the zoo.

She said the zoo is a small “heaven” for a wide variety of animals and birds, focusing on species that are vulnerable, or even endangered in the wild.

Heidi and Daniel were hand-reared by Matty and Eddy von Eck, the owners of Lory Park Zoo.

“They grew up with each other, happy to have a mate to run around and play and play fight with, to cuddle up with for a nap in the heat of the day, or keep each other warm on cold winter nights, just like any other lion cubs,” said Duligal.

She said for everyone at Lory Park Zoo the lions are a constant reminder of how precious they are and that it is “worth it” to protect this species of lion.

Duligal said on New Years Eve in 2012, Heidi and Daniel welcomed their litter of three, namely, Fuscani, Fumu and Goliath, a girl and two boys, into the world at the zoo, which is a certified as a breeding facility.

The cubs were taken away from Heidi 10 days after their birth to be hand-reared and were a source of “great joy” at the zoo.

She said Heidi was soon in season after losing her cubs, just as what happens in the wild, and in 2013, she gave birth to a litter of five cubs, two males and three females.

She said Gambit, Gemma and Goli were hand reared like the first litter, however two of the cubs, Gazelle and Gabriel, stayed with Heidi and Daniel at the zoo for eight months, before they were released into an area where there was enough food for them to do their own hunting, still confined though and with no competition.

Duligal said while the cubs have now left, Duligal said, “Who knows what the future holds,” said Duligal.

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