Walking with Lions, Zimbabwe

I felt like an old explorer with my walking stick as I set out across the African Savannah. Bouncing playfully alongside me were four lions, each were nine-months-old.

I took time to visit a research center on the African lions while I was in Zimbabwe. It was the coolest thing! I got to play with some lion cubs that were around four-months-old. They were as playful as kittens, but MUCH bigger and a lot stronger. Their coat is not as soft as it looks. It feels like really coarse hair. The cubs love to play and chase strings, just like kittens.

This research site is trying to breed southern African lions with east African lions. The southern lions are dieing out due to a virus. The east African lions are resistant to this virus, so they are breeding the two.

We walked with the older cubs through a small game reserve. The purpose is to get the lions interested in other animals. It’s preparation for when it’s time for them to hunt and kill. Right now, stalking is just a fun game for the cubs.

Believe me, while these were just nine-month-old lions, they were still really big and STRONG. You couldn’t turn your back to them, or else they would playfully attack (to them playing, but they are so strong that it’s not playing to us). I watched my four young companions stalk a large kudu. It was very surreal to crouch with them in the tall grass and scope out a possible kill.

After the lions reach 18-months, they begin to learn to hunt and they go out at night with the researches to do this. At two years, the lions will be released into a sort of “half-way” park. Here, there are animals that they can find to feed on, but the park is not huge. This allows them to get the confidence in making their own kills – but allows the researchers to keep track of them. After they turn three years, the lions are then transferred to a large game reserve. Animals are still fenced in, but it’s pretty wild.

The goal is that the second generation of this cross breed will be born in this large game reserve. These second generation cubs will be wild and able to survive in game parks all over the southern African region.

So, if you are ever in Zimbabwe – take a walk on the wild side!