Parents who watch the video might cringe at the site of a large lion so close to a small boy, pawing at and even trying to bite the toddler, even though protective glass at the Oregon Zoo separates predator and prospective prey.
Animal rights proponents might also take offense, saying it's cruel to tempt an iconic predator in such a manner.
Then there will be those who simply regard the footage as cute. A 1-year-old boy named Jack, dressed in zebra clothing, drawing the attention of a popular lioness named Kya.
Heather Baltzor, Jack's mother, said her family was amused by the episode and that she hadn't dressed Jack in a black-and-white sweatshirt to make him appear as a lion's natural prey.
"We definitely did not even notice his zebra-esque attire until the next day when someone commented on Facebook," Baltzor said. "It seems the animals did though! It was a really fun day and Jack's first trip to the zoo."
Zoo director Kim Smith told KGW.com that she received several emails from people who were concerned about the incident, but added that Kya was exhibiting "typical prey behavior" and that Jack was not in danger. A second clip of the same episode is below:
That is the instinct of the lion. Attack the prey.The video does look scary though.
Posted by: kim | Jun 19, 2012 at 07:18 PM