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.
At night's play time.
Sure I’ll ask.
Has he had all his shots, any vet appts pending? They’re big dogs and take a long time to grow.
And hounds and big dogs do tend to be lumps - translated: very mellow. If you put a Jack Russel Terrier next to a Mastiff you’d think they were two different species.
If you have any doubts take him to the vet and ask all the questions you can think of. Dogs sometimes eat strange things and won’t tell.
Mastiff.org says not to run them until they're two years old: their bones and tendons are too soft. That jibes with his his laying about, he must be experiencing some serious growing pains.
I like this breed!
That’s a handsome baby. Still a baby. How old did you say, 6 months? He/she’s got a way to grow.
Beautiful photo. Post more when you can, please.
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