Dogs are wonderful foster parents. This is precisely what a German Shepherd did for two lion cubs in a Russian wildlife park. The mother rejected her two cubs, and the dog adopted them as her own. The two cubs were born to their mother, Sirona, a lioness.
However, the staff at the White Lion Park in Vladivostok, Russia became concerned when they noticed something was wrong with the first-time lioness mother. Staff members observed that Sirona had become “extremely introverted, reticent, and secretive.” Additionally, her two cubs were “emaciated and dehydrated,” indicating that they, too, were suffering. The staff then decided to remove the cubs for their own protection.
The cubs were then entrusted to Sandra, a German Shepherd who lived in the park. She welcomed the two lions into her home as if they were her own puppies. It was quite uplifting:
Viktor Agafonov, the director of the wildlife park, stated that Sirona’s behavior toward her cubs was abnormal. Even around her own cubs, the lioness appeared to lose her temper. Even DailyMail reported that the lioness had bitten her own cubs, and Agafonov disclosed that one of the cubs had a small wound.
During an Instagram post, the White Lion Park captured video footage of Sirona biting one of her cubs.
Agafonov revealed that Sandra, the adoptive mother, normally dislikes cats. However, she was more than happy to be a foster mother to these two feral cats, possibly because she was feeling particularly maternal after the birth of her own puppies. The park director noted that Sandra first visited the wildlife park in response to a public appeal. A family from the city of Artem temporarily lent her to the wildlife park.
Agafonov has also revealed that Sandra is feeding the cubs without any issues, reassuring the public that her dog milk is more than acceptable for the two lions because it contains all the nutrients that the two lions require to develop normally. The staff at the wildlife park is aware that this adorable family dynamic cannot last forever, but they are optimistic that Sandra can continue to foster them for a while longer.
Agafonov acknowledged that Sandra’s fostering of the two lion cubs was quite surprising, considering that animal species rarely foster one another’s young – particularly wild animals. Still, it’s quite adorable to see how well this dog mother cared for the lion cubs.
They were in desperate need of a nurturing mother, and it appears they have found Sandra. Hopefully, their relationships will continue to strengthen.