Meatball and Gobbolina - May 2010

The magnificent brother and sister are in their prime, as the sunlight ripples off their lithe, muscled bodies. It really is a treat to see them treading oh-so-deliberately through the long grass at the sound of a vehicle or, better still, human feet. 

Our volunteers have been busy clearing the grass from the border of their enclosures. This proved an amusing interlude for Meatball and Gobbolina, as they stalked the humans and showed their wild nature with the occasional rush and roar. Gobbolina enjoyed one particular afternoon when a volunteer acted as ‘bait’, calling to her and running in the opposite direction to give the others a clear run at the grass-clearing!

They’ve shown their strength with some spectacular jumps and catches when their food is thrown to them, and enjoy climbing the trees in their enclosure, which is quite a feat as they look far too heavy for the branches they scale. And they seem to enjoy playing big scary lion for tourists as they charge the fence, eager for their food!