By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Open wide: A lioness goes to take a bit out of a toddler visiting the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado but luckily the pair are separated by thick glass


For a moment this hungry lioness must have thought she had found her dinner.

But luckily for the oblivious one-year-old, a thick sheet of glass separated him from the jaws of the ferocious cat.

The toddler, known only as Trent, had been visiting the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado with family earlier this year.


Happy: The toddler, known only as Trent, smiles as claps excitedly as he watches the lioness


He playfully sits on the ground outside the lion enclosure and claps his hands as the powerful beast paces the ground eager to reach the youngster.

Trent then begins to touch the six-inches thick bullet-proof glass and for a moment the pair appear to have struck up a bond.

The lioness appears to be fascinated with the toddler and tenderly strokes her paw against the glass in front of the child.

But seconds later in an incredible show of her natural killer instinct the lioness rears up onto her hind legs and swipes with her sharp claws.


I want to play! The toddler touches the glass, eager to join in, but the powerful cat seems more interested in what her next meal will be


She then opens her jaws to expose razor-sharp teeth and appears to try to bite off the toddler's head.

But with no chance of reaching her prey, Trent carry on regardless. He merely claps his hands and continues to laugh at the hungry cat.

The clip has become an internet sensation on YouTube with tens of thousands of users posting messages.

One wrote: 'The funny thing is, our baby actually cried all the way to the car after leaving the lion cage.'


Safe: The toddler moved away from the glass but the beast followed, trying desperately to reach him. The clip has become an online hit


Another added: 'This shows the immense power of these incredible animals.'
But others suggested that the lioness was merely trying to be playful with the toddler.

One wrote: 'That cat is not trying to eat the baby, her body language is completely non-aggressive.

'If anything she just wants to steal the child so she can raise him and train him to make his thumbs work for the pride.'


Lioness tries to eat baby at the zoo.



source: dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter


Back off: The lioness gets her punch in first when the lion moved in on the cub


Most mothers have to step in when things get a bit too competitive and boisterous between father and sons, but it seems that it's not exclusive to humans.

A lioness has been caught on camera taking a swipe at the father of their cub after a stand off between the pair.

The father hit a raw nerve when he growled fiercely at the two-month-old, causing the lioness to strike a warning blow across his face.

The cub had been sunbathing on the bed of a dried up marsh in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, when he was disturbed by his father.

Ouch: The lion recoils as it is made painfully aware to him just how far the lioness will go to protect her cub


Like Simba practising his roar in the film The Lion King, the cub snarls at his father but was shown who was boss with an even louder reply.

The mother, who had two cubs nearby, padded over to ensure things weren't getting out of hand and struck the lion across the face.

The event was caught on camera by photographer Elliott Neep who said: 'It was like he was telling him "Don't snarl at me", the mum came over and said "keep it calm" but then slapped the dad with her claws out, leaving a scratch.

'He retaliated and slapped back but kept his claws in. It was extremely brave of her to stand up to him. At just a couple of months old, the cub still needs the protection of its mother.

'If she had not been there the dad would have probably whacked the cub so hard it would have knocked him over.'

The 36-year-old, from Wantage, Oxfordshire, added: 'I have been photographing lions for many years but this was the biggest I have ever seen.

'Lions normally weigh up 450lbs and I would say this one was at least that - possibly around 500lbs.

'He didn't appear to have any battle marks, which is unusual for a pride male. I imagine he is so big nobody else dares fight him.

'However, I don't think the cub was in any real danger because it was his cub.
'The situation ended peacefully with all the family members making up and returning to their sunbathing.'

Squaring up: The lion went over to his cub while it was sunbathing on a dried-up marsh

All made up: After the lioness had the last word, all was calm again with the family


source:dailymail

Lion named Carbora cuddles with a lioness in their enclosure at the Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg March 4, 2011.



Lion named Carbora (L) and his partners enjoy the sun in their enclosure at the Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg March 4, 2011.




Lion named Carbora cuddles with a lioness in their enclosure at the Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg March 4, 2011.


source: Daylife
photo: Reuters

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Yes dear: The male lion cowers as the lioness lets him know exactly how she feels about his playfighting at the National Zoo in Washington DC


He's supposed to be the king of the jungle, but these pictures clearly show who's in charge.

The male lion cowers his head as he is given an earful by a lioness after a playfight went too far.

The father had pinned his daughter Lusaka to the ground in mock anger after the playful cub had repeatedly nipped his tail.


Courting controversy: The playful cub grabs hold of her dad's tail as he pretends not to notice


But the pair's fun came to a dramatic halt after the mother arrived and bared her teeth in fury at the male.

The remarkable images were recorded by amateur photographer Jennifer Lockridge, who took them at the National Zoo in Washington DC.

Luke, the male lion, had been pretending not to notice his offspring's attentions, before joining in a playfight.

Ms Lockridge, 42, said the spotted the drama during a visit to the zoo last month.
She said: 'I thoroughly enjoyed watching this interaction and Luke has just recently been allowed to interact with his cubs. The zoo has a lion pride consisting of seven cubs from two mothers and Luke is the father of all the cubs.


Cat and mouse: The male has a look that would stop a wildebeest at 50 metres as the female cub makes good her escape


Daddy's girl: The cub rolls playfully over on to her back as the male catches up to her


'The particular cub, Lusaka, is particularly feisty and is always one of the last ones to go inside when called. Lusaka is definitely a "daddy's girl" and seems to be the most enamoured with her father.'

She said the way five-month-old Lusaka and her father played together reminded her of human parents and their children.

'As the cubs have gotten braver, they approach Luke easily wanting to engage him in play.

'I don't believe he realised she was biting his tail and he didn't seem to be very upset. Lusaka has a habit of biting the tails of her siblings as well as the adults.'



Catfight: Lusaka, a five-month-old cub, is devoted to her father, who has just been allowed near his seven children in the zoo


source: dailymail