For 26-year-old Or Lazmi, nothing was more amazing than when her bulldog, Hugo, formed an unexpected bond with a pair of wild animals. This is the story of their unexpected friendship.
Igor and Ice, two lion and tiger cubs, are being hand-raised by Or Lazmi, who works at the Seaview Predator Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Lazmi has raised several cubs for the park in the past, yet this is first time her dog has ever helped her with parenting the big cats.
Hugo, a two-year old bulldog, has found his calling by playing with and even disciplining the lion and tiger cubs, becoming the best foster “mom” ever.
While it may seem odd to have people raising these big cats, Or Lazmi insists that it actually helps the keepers and the animals in the park:
“The reason why we intereact with them to such a degree is these animals will be staying here with us for the rest of their lives,” said Lazmi about her unique approach to raising the cubs. “So, by them being accustomed to in such a level, it will make it easier for us to handle them when they’re bigger.”
The trio’s bond formed naturally when the cubs met Hugo, who already belonged to Lazmi at the time. Thanks to Hugo’s loving nature, the three formed a close bond, spending their days and nights together playing. Hugo is also not afraid to discipline the cats when they get a bit too rough or out of line. However, this dynamic might not last long as the cats will grow much bigger within just the next month.
These big cats will eventually grow to be over 600 lbs each – but Lazmi is confident the big cats will still be as gentle as ever with Hugo.
For now, Ice and Igor allow Hugo to be the leader of the pack – until, of course, they outgrow the pup!
The Seaview Predator Park was founded in the 1970’s and was purchased in the 1990’s by its current owners, Janice and Rusty Gibb, who hope that their park will help save endangered species and raise awareness about wildlife conservation efforts. Thanks to conscious breeding efforts, Seaview Predator Park hopes to one day return future lions back to their native habitats so that they can return to the wild.
Wildcat populations have been a sharp decline since the 1940’s, with only an estimated 20,000 lions left in the wild.
Thanks to Lazmi and Hugo, Igor and Ice will help bring back their species from the brink of extinction.
If you would like to learn more about the Seaview Predator Park, please click here. Be sure to check out the full story in the video down below.
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