why are you complaining its just like petting ur cat at home, its just not as dangerous, but they will still bite or claw... the lion in the photo looks likes it ENJOYS being stroked.
When working with an animal you naturally build up 'a relationship' with the individual.Animals have exactly the same feelings as we do - They arent just blood-thirsty killing machines that most people think of.She's not going in with him. Just every now and then goes to the fence to see him. If he was in an aggressive mood im sure that she wouldnt.
I am fully aware of what relationship may be built up, its the posting of pictures like this that may give people the wrong impression thats my problem. Imagine a nut reading and seeing this pussy cat having a wee fuss, perhaps he may jump in with him next time he visits and give him a cuddle too!!
For the record I have worked with animals for 22yrs.
I make my living pushing paper in an office. It is a comfortable, clean and OK payed way to make a living. But if I could re-live my life, with the benefit of hindsight, I am sure that I would try to become a zoo keeper! Apparently the pay check is shamefully small (at least here in Sweden I believe it is), but I don´t think that I could dream up anything more exciting to do with my day than working with lions, like forumster KateA does.
And if so, if I was to to be that lucky, I am sure that whenever possible I would "take a moment" like KateA does in this picture. How could I resist? Of course: If there would be any kind of danger involved, the choice and the resposibility would be mine and mine alone.
Sure... from a safety point of view in general, reduakari´s and other forumster´s objections are probably reasonable in priciple. But I would guess that most zoo keepers "take moments" like this when and if they can. I am of course only speculating here, just expressing a gut feeling. But I am confident that most zoo keepers (in the Western world, that is...) have chosen their occupation based on a great love for and interest in animals and... well, I simply have a hard time thinking that they would resist patting a lion behind its ears, given the opportunity.
Again, if they do so it is their personal choice of course - this is self-evident. But anyway, and returning to the picture in question: by the look of the fence in this picture I would think KateA is pretty safe. At most, she could receive a severe cut in her hand by the claw of the lion - IF things would turn out 100% wrong. If so, that would be sad (and a bit painful) for her and a lesson learned about the safety specifics at her particular work-place, but she would survive and probably not be the least bit concerned about her choice of profession, I would imagine - right KateA?
In short - what I see in this picture is a happy and enthusiastic young woman who has landed her dream job and has been kind enough to show us a clip of a "special moment" of it.
Hi all, Interesting discussion going on here! I agree with many of the points here, but would love to know how many of you are big cat keepers or zoo keepers in fact?
I have been a zoo keeper for over 13 years and have worked with lions for about half of that. Kamal is hand reared and comes to me for a scratch if he's in the mood. I know my limits with him and when he doesn't want touching he will not come to me or will walk away once he's had enough. We were actually able to vacinate him through the mesh by hand injection earlier this year which i was proud of and which is of benefit to him , as he would otherwise have to have been darted, so in this instance I believe his tactileness was an advantage. Rest assured I would not have taken a picture like this is if I did not feel safe doing so. I do not know of any instances of keepers being killed by big cats without actually being in the enclosure with the animals, but I do know of keepers being injured through the mesh. I appologise if posting this picture has offended anyone, but believe that if this had been of, for example a keeper in with a tapir, it would not have caused such a stir, although I have heard of a keeper losing an arm to a Malayan tapir or of a macaw which could easily take off a finger!
I make my living pushing paper in an office. It is a comfortable, clean and OK payed way to make a living. But if I could re-live my life, with the benefit of hindsight, I am sure that I would try to become a zoo keeper! Apparently the pay check is shamefully small (at least here in Sweden I believe it is), but I don´t think that I could dream up anything more exciting to do with my day than working with lions, like forumster KateA does.
And if so, if I was to to be that lucky, I am sure that whenever possible I would "take a moment" like KateA does in this picture. How could I resist? Of course: If there would be any kind of danger involved, the choice and the resposibility would be mine and mine alone.
Sure... from a safety point of view in general, reduakari´s and other forumster´s objections are probably reasonable in priciple. But I would guess that most zoo keepers "take moments" like this when and if they can. I am of course only speculating here, just expressing a gut feeling. But I am confident that most zoo keepers (in the Western world, that is...) have chosen their occupation based on a great love for and interest in animals and... well, I simply have a hard time thinking that they would resist patting a lion behind its ears, given the opportunity.
Again, if they do so it is their personal choice of course - this is self-evident. But anyway, and returning to the picture in question: by the look of the fence in this picture I would think KateA is pretty safe. At most, she could receive a severe cut in her hand by the claw of the lion - IF things would turn out 100% wrong. If so, that would be sad (and a bit painful) for her and a lesson learned about the safety specifics at her particular work-place, but she would survive and probably not be the least bit concerned about her choice of profession, I would imagine - right KateA?
In short - what I see in this picture is a happy and enthusiastic young woman who has landed her dream job and has been kind enough to show us a clip of a "special moment" of it.
Hi all, Interesting discussion going on here! I agree with many of the points here, but would love to know how many of you are big cat keepers or zoo keepers in fact?
I have been a zoo keeper for over 13 years and have worked with lions for about half of that. Kamal is hand reared and comes to me for a scratch if he's in the mood. I know my limits with him and when he doesn't want touching he will not come to me or will walk away once he's had enough. We were actually able to vacinate him through the mesh by hand injection earlier this year which i was proud of and which is of benefit to him , as he would otherwise have to have been darted, so in this instance I believe his tactileness was an advantage. Rest assured I would not have taken a picture like this is if I did not feel safe doing so. I do not know of any instances of keepers being killed by big cats without actually being in the enclosure with the animals, but I do know of keepers being injured through the mesh. I appologise if posting this picture has offended anyone, but believe that if this had been of, for example a keeper in with a tapir, it would not have caused such a stir, although I have heard of a keeper losing an arm to a Malayan tapir or of a macaw which could easily take off a finger!
Just because you work with the Cat doesnt make it responsible of you to post photos of a supposed wild animal being "petted" through mesh. It creates the wrong impression and not one that many will favour when Zoo's are often stating just how "wild" the animals are whether hand reared or not.
I find it uncomfortable to think that children may view these forums and see such things as acceptable ,but thats me.
I have worked alongside wild animals and their management for over 17yrs, I shoot regularly, I work Terriers, I "could" post pictures of cuddly GENUINELY wild Foxes and other animals I come into contact with, but I dont. I dont find it "cool" nor anything else to promote "wild" captive animals is this light, but as I said, thats me!
