Lion Care: A Journey Beyond Fear
🦁 Lions… The majestic kings of the wild, symbols of strength and grace. For many, approaching these magnificent creatures is only a dream. But sometimes, life opens a door for those who dare to step in. I was lucky enough to walk through that door in South Africa.
🌍 During my training at the Limpopo Predators Park & Animal Rehabilitation Center, I not only observed lions but helped raise their cubs. It was a soulful experience—one that taught me more about love, responsibility, and surrender than any book ever could.
Protecting Cubs from Male Lions
In nature, male lions often harm cubs that aren’t their own. That’s why, in wildlife centers, cubs are separated from their mothers within the first few days. Yes, it sounds harsh—but in the wild, survival sometimes means making difficult choices.
Once separated, the cubs are bottle-fed with a special milk formula every four hours—200 ml each time.
Feeding Lion Cubs
The milk used is called “Lion Milk Replacer.” We add 600 ml of this powder into a blender, add water, and mix it until smooth. Then it’s poured into bottles and gently warmed in hot water before feeding.
🍼 I remember waking up at 2 AM to feed the cubs. It was exhausting, especially when feeding the white lions. They were picky eaters and often refused the bottle. But in every struggle, I saw an invitation: to meet myself deeper.
Disinfecting the Bottles
Since the cubs are so young, hygiene is critical. Before feeding, we disinfect our hands in water mixed with a capful of bleach. After feeding, the bottles are washed and placed in a tub with Milton tablets to kill bacteria.
🧴 Life, like bottles, needs regular cleansing. Sometimes it’s not what we carry that’s heavy—it’s what we never clean out. Let go, refresh, begin again.
Helping Cubs with Toileting & Sleep
After every feeding, we help the cubs urinate and defecate by gently rubbing their genital area with a warm wipe. If not, they may soil their bedding. All their waste is monitored on a checklist to ensure health. Any signs of blood are taken seriously and require immediate vet attention.
At night, they sleep in a shelter that is warm yet well-ventilated. Safety, rest, and peace—that’s all they need. That’s all any of us need, truly.
Final Thoughts
The time I spent with these lion cubs was one of the most heart-opening experiences of my life. I realized that caring for a lion is not about taming its wild nature—it’s about taming the fear inside us.
I wrote this article to share that story, hoping it helps someone connect more deeply with life, nature, and themselves. In a world that teaches us to roar, don’t forget to purr too.
💛 With love, stay close to your heart and wildness.
“You were born not to cage your inner lion, but to walk beside it in peace.” – Hakan Mengüç
This article was originally published on February 24, 2014.
