Lion cub gets his paws on a special World Lion Day treat
By Animals Correspondent
A young lion at London Zoo has been getting his paws into the celebrations for World Lion Day – with a little help from some of his favourite spices.
Two-year-old Asiatic lion Syanii and his mum, Arya, were treated to a giant lion-proof ball at the zoo yesterday (10 August) to mark World Lion Day.
The colourful enrichment toy was scented with Indian spices including ground ginger and cardamom, giving Syanii plenty to investigate as he sniffed, clawed and played with his new favourite toy.
The ball was decorated with 200 colourful pawprints – a nod to the 200th anniversary of ZSL, the international conservation charity behind London Zoo.
For Syanii, though, the celebration was all about play.
His enthusiastic investigation of the ball gave him the chance to practise some of the natural behaviours he would use when hunting in the wild.
World Lion Day is held each year to celebrate these iconic animals and highlight the threats they face in the wild.
Asiatic lion numbers have increased in recent decades thanks to conservation efforts, but the species remains classified as Endangered. Around 900 Asiatic lions remain in the wild, all within a single population in India’s Gir Forest.
London Zoo’s lions also have a long-standing connection with conservation.
Liontrust has partnered with ZSL since 2012 to support Asiatic lion conservation and has sponsored the zoo’s Land of the Lions exhibit since 2015.
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Support from partners including Liontrust helps ZSL fund conservation science, species recovery, education and community engagement, helping people connect with wildlife at London and Whipsnade Zoos and supporting conservation work around the world.
