The cub and I picture, bring back a lot of memories to me as regards my life as a wildlife conservationist, experience in Maiduguri (Borno State of Nigeria), and a lot’s more.

Between 2009 and 2010, I used to work as a wildlife conservationist and tour guide in the Sanda Kyarimi Park Zoo, Maiduguri. I personally love animals (both micro and macro animals) with a soft spot for wildlife.

This picture was taken with our 6 months old male cub (around May 2010). Wondering how I had the boldness? Aside from my knowledge in animal ethology (animal behavior), I was part of the team that provided motherly care to the cub after its life was under threat by its father. It was one of the only two (2) surviving cubs immediately after birth. We also had a female cub then. Unfortunately, the lioness abandoned her offspring so as to spend more time with the head of the pride (family of a lion) probably to enable her to compete with other lionesses in the pride. This became a setback, hence the need to isolate the two cubs for personal artificial mother care as the life of the male, in particular, was in danger. On maturity, we returned the female cub to the pride’s cage while the male cub was kept in a new cage.

On the day that I took this picture, my friend Khadijat was supposed to take a selfie with the cub but she was scared and literally ran away on seeing the claw of the cub [it scratched me a little on my right hand] but I tamed it eventually to take this amazing memorable picture.

Do you love wildlife too? Have you ever seen any? What’s your thought about wildlife? Click here to know more about me.

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