Lioness killed by companion lions

(Daniel in the Lion's Den)

Although humans routinely kill one another, it is relatively rare for lions to do so.

Therefore, when two lions at the Dallas Zoo moved in on a companion lioness within full view of many human visitors, many thought they were just playing.  Even when one lion began biting the lioness' neck, things still didn't seem serious.

It wasn't until zoo staff began "throwing meat at the lions to try to distract them," and security personnel began closing off windows to the exhibit, that onlookers began realizing this was no joke.

The Dallas Associated Press reports that "the three lions in question have been in the same exhibit for three years."  A vice president at the zoo stated, "Lions can be aggressive, but they don't kill each other."

Then what was the cause of this occurrence?  No one really knows.  Although lions often fight with one another in the wild, they are usually far more endangered by humans than by their own species.

Nevertheless, the genes of today's captive lions may be far different than the genes of yesteryear's truly wild ones.  Not to mention the effects of captivity itself…

Resources

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/18/dallas-lion-killed/3629169/

Copyright November 19, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved