Hugs with a predator: the story of friendship between a lioness and a man who conquered social media
He Gruner saved a little ten-day-old tiger cub from certain death over 10 years ago.
The man started caring for a tiny cat. And so began a long and powerful connection that captivated millions of social networking fans all around the world.
Sirga, an adult lioness, now lives alongside her savior at a Botswana wildlife park.
Valentine spends practically all of his time with his tailed companion and seldom departs the park for an extended period.
Valentino discovered the lioness who has become such an essential part of his life in a predator enclosure constructed by a local producer named Willy de Graaf to imprison animals who prey on his cattle.
“Adult lions in this cage ripped to shreds two or three lion pups abandoned by their mother.” Only Sirga escaped. “She was around 10 days old and extremely little,” Valentin recalls.
The father adopted the newborn lioness and raised her as his kid.
Sirga became close to Valentino and fell in love with him through the years. So now, whenever she sees him, she rushes over to embrace him fiercely.
“It happens whenever I open the gate to her enclosure.” It never fails to astound me. Hugs are an excellent expression of sentiments in animals. However, this conduct follows its logic. Sirga’s sole buddy is me.
