Posted on 02/02/2006 10:02:21 AM PST by afraidfortherepublic
SAN PASQUAL VALLEY – They don't act like best friends quite yet, more like neighbors who find each other only mildly interesting, and occasionally annoying.
But since lion cubs are hard to come by in these parts, it's a match that workers at the San Diego Wild Animal Park are trying to make work.
DAN TREVAN / Union-Tribune photos Cairo,
an Italian mastiff puppy, was introduced as a
playmate to 10-week-old Koza, a lion cub whose
twin died, at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.
Playtime included sharing a bit of food,
Cairo nipping on Koza's ear, some frolicking
and some quiet time.
Koza, a 10-week-old lion cub, and Cairo, a slightly younger but at the moment larger Italian mastiff, are being housed together for one or two hours at a time in Koza's room in the park's nursery.
Tuesday morning, when the two were allowed to mingle, the energetic puppy sniffed and then jumped all over the lion cub for about a minute, then spent the next hour far more interested in a stick he busily gnawed.
But yesterday, the two frolicked for more than 15 minutes, with Cairo nibbling on Koza's ears, which the cub seemed not terribly happy about.
They even shared a bit of dog food out of Cairo's bowl.
“They're becoming more comfortable with each other each day,” said Marcia Diehl, senior mammal keeper at the park.
The idea, Diehl said, is that lions are social animals, but there are no other lion cubs at the park for Koza to interact with.
Cairo is the next best thing – a canine companion. Koza was born by Caesarean section from a mother pregnant with twins, the other of which died. The mother is at the park, but it was a difficult birth involving anesthesia. Because of her condition “mom would not be able to take care of the cub,” said park spokesman Andrew Circo, so the decision was made to take Koza from her.
Koza's stay at the park may not be for too long. Since her mother was a wild lion, from a South African preserve, Koza's genes will be of great value to lion breeders at other zoos as they try to avoid inbreeding among captive animals.
But both dog and lion will be on display at the park's Animal Care Center near the entrance for the next month or two, Diehl said.
After that, Cairo – whose mom was rescued from Hurricane Katrina and brought to San Diego where she had Cairo – will either be placed with another young animal or be adopted by one of the park's employees. “They're already lining up to adopt him,” said park spokeswoman Yadira Galindo.
When fully grown, Koza will weigh about 400 pounds, while the mastiff should top out at about 90.
Meanwhile, the dog and the lion, it is hoped, will become best friends, teething on various stuffed animals in their enclosure, not to mention on each other.
Zeus Compton Callaway Save the Animals Fund
From the website: No pet owner should have to put their beloved animal to sleep because they are unable to pay medical bills. The Zeus Compton Calaway Save the Animals Fund was established to help pet owners bridge the gap between their ability to pay for lifesaving medical treatment and the costs of the procedure. The Fund, created by Mark and Sara Calaway, was established as a memorial for Zeus, their beloved Mastiff. The Fund provides financial assistance to pet owners who could not otherwise afford lifesaving procedures.
Some of you wrestling fans might know Mark Calaway...he is the WWE Superstar known as the Undertaker.
Agreed. 1 kg ~= 2.2 lbs, BTW.
Cross-species snuggling pics'll do that to you.
Ye gahds, the images!
Whoa, boy!
Maybe the doggie's not a full-blooded mastiff?
That's gonna be a BIG dog.
Puppies and lion cubs. How much more cute and fun in the universe can there be?
:-)
My pleasure.
That's what I was thinking. I think it will be awful to separate them. They will miss each other. They will have just gotten used to each other when they are separated.
Lucky you! LOL! Of course, I have to sleep on the couch because Harm likes me to be close by. He sleeps in the large chair (1 1/2 times normal size) next to the sofa. I am going to buy a big chair for my bedroom so I can get back into a bed. He is too big to sleep in the bed. He kicks me out!
An Italian (aka Neapolitan, or Corso) Mastiff is a real breed and they seem to be almost as large as the English Mastiff. That pup looks as big as a lot of Labs already. I think the reporter has the projected weight wrong.
Zeus was a beautiful animal. I can just imagine Sara's heartbreak. Their fund is a nice thing to do because many large breeds go untreated because of the cost.
yeah but it's different between animals and animals vs. animals and their human handlers....
I know. I was being silly, forgive me. It's Friday, I've got a half hour left at work, and I'm bored to tears, literally.
heh :)
well I heard that the Tiger that bit Roy wanted something sweet to go with his fruit :)
Do you have an English Mastiff?
A friend of mine has mastiffs and the boy is around 315. The female looks quite a bit smaller but I haven’t asked in ages. Biggest dog I ever had was a St. Bernard, 175.
Best way to find out is ask the parents’ weights. It’s a great dog, no matter what.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.