At a privately-owned wildlife park in South Africa, Or Lazmi has integrated herself into a group of four of lions. Having known her since they were cubs, the lions treat her as a dominant figure and allow her to get kissably close.
Meet Or Lazmi, leader of this unique pride of lions. While most of us would avoid sticking any of our extremities into a lion's mouth — or any wild animal's mouth, for that matter — Or Lazmi is perfectly comfortable placing her hand there without a second thought. Even more startlingly, thanks to the unique dynamic of their relationship, the lion doesn't seem to mind either.
According to an interview with Animal Planet, Lazmi has been around these four lions since they were cubs, acting as a consistent dominant presence in their lives as she helped raise them in a privately-owned animal sanctuary in South Africa. As such, they see her as the alpha, the leader of their pack. That's not to say, of course, that anyone can cuddle up to a lion. Lazmi has gained their trust, but she is well aware that one wrong move could leave her seriously injured.
The plan for these four majestic creatures is to release them back into the wild — an unprecedented plan that may prove valuable for the future of the species. To see Lazmi and the lions interact, check out the video. Don't be shy about sharing with other big cat fanatics!
Or, who is originally from Israel, is the manager of Seaview Lion Park, South Africa, where she looks after and trains dozens of lions and tigers. Seaview is an educational wildlife park offering educational experiences to the general public, volunteers, interns, apprentices and school children by way of guided tours, animal encounters, lectures and work experiences.
Or says, “People are scared of tigers because they are so powerful, but we train them to understand ‘no’. I never let them use their claws or teeth on me. I have only been scratched when they were tiny and knew no better.”
Speaking of three-month-old cubs Judah and Ruby, she says, “I live on site and spend four hours a day, seven days a week with the tigers. I have to replace their mother in every way when they are young; bottle feeding, walking, and even potty training.”
Or says, “At Seaview the tigers have trees to climb, bushes to hide in and a damn to swim. They are totally happy here – if they weren’t, they wouldn’t be breeding, eating and playing as often as they are. The illegal hunting of tigers in South Africa means these tigers are endangered. They have to stay here so we can keep up their gene pool. It is hoped some tigers will eventually be put back into the wild. I’d love to see that happen in my lifetime.”
Visit Or at Seaview Lion Park, South Africa: http://www.seaviewpredatorpark.com/
Read more about Or Lazmi: Heavy petting: 5ft tall park ranger gets close and personal with 300lb Siberian tiger http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/artic...
Read also: Animal farms fuel cruel, illegal trade in rare wildlife http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/speci...
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