(06-22-2021, 06:55 PM)Xiku_kutsu Wrote: Big boy 

(06-23-2021, 01:49 AM)BA0701 Wrote:

(06-22-2021, 06:55 PM)Xiku_kutsu Wrote: Big boy 

He's enormous! But, is it really that common for people to simply walk freely among these creatures? I know we've seen the videos of guys on scooters and such, but this just seems crazy. Nothing good, for either party, can come from such proximities.

(06-23-2021, 02:42 AM)Xiku_kutsu Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 01:49 AM)BA0701 Wrote:

(06-22-2021, 06:55 PM)Xiku_kutsu Wrote: Big boy 

He's enormous! But, is it really that common for people to simply walk freely among these creatures? I know we've seen the videos of guys on scooters and such, but this just seems crazy. Nothing good, for either party, can come from such proximities.

I know right. Sure, the Gir Lions are unnaturally laid back, especially compared to Bengals or their African cousins. But some people there think it's a pass to inch closer and closer like they want to pet the damn thing, even saw one guy even giving the lion a cow to snap a "cool" video of the takedown. Albeit that probably doesn't happen much lol, but of course if the lions start to snap they'll be put up in a cage or shot... The guys in the video look like guards, which I heard are apparently supposed follow the lions to protect them. So I wonder if this is a pressing issue there or just their version of coexistence haha.

(06-23-2021, 08:51 AM)Rishi Wrote: @Xiku_kutsu @BA0701 Look at it this way.
Why would the "natural" behavior of the animals be, to break out in a panicked fit of berserking aggression on contact with humans?.. Even more, why would such attitude be desirable?

In the few regions where such dynamic has been achieved, this is the natural behaviour of ALL species when humans are not aggrevating or attacking them at sight. You mentioned Bengals, so here's the most recent one...

Them being perfectly comfortable in each others company, is the best you can hope in existing situation.

Note: Baiting livestock to draw out predators for lazy tourists to photograph is a serious crime that is (now) a 7 years jail term. By no means I'm including that.

(06-23-2021, 08:51 AM)Rishi Wrote: @Xiku_kutsu @BA0701 Look at it this way.
Why would the "natural" behavior of the animals be, to break out in a panicked fit of berserking aggression on contact with humans?.. Even more, why would such attitude be desirable?

In the few regions where such dynamic has been achieved, this is the natural behaviour of ALL species when humans are not aggrevating or attacking them at sight. You mentioned Bengals, so here's the most recent one...

Them being perfectly comfortable in each others company, is the best you can hope in existing situation.

Note: Baiting livestock to draw out predators for lazy tourists to photograph is a serious crime that is (now) a 7 years jail term. By no means I'm including that.

(06-23-2021, 08:19 PM)Xiku_kutsu Wrote: Firstly, that was an incredible interaction. They look as comfortable as the cute deer that frequent my neighborhood, except the deer are even more jumpy! Also, I do agree with the point that when humans are simply minding their own business that most animals might not necessarily view them as a threat. Deer, for example, will learn to see us as just any other prey animal and, even if they haven't learned that yet, it is in their nature to flee before anything else. My problem is that aggression is pretty much inevitable with such predators because how are they meant to perceive us? As prey, who they eat, or as fellow predators, who they attack as well? Being naturally curious, will one of the lions (that are normally are the ones being followed) feel empowered to try and see what those humans are all about when it has the advantage of being undetected? For every good encounter, there's another, like everyone's seen in this popular video. 

Wrong place, wrong time and there could now a big problem. But there's clearly no "quick fix" to habitat loss and the such, so I always hope the current situations will have more good outcomes (like these chill lions/tigers) than bad. Glad to hear there are solid punishments for pushing the boundaries.

(06-23-2021, 08:26 PM)BA0701 Wrote: I agree, that is a great place for all parties to be, where everyone is able to coexist. However, I believe that the lions here have been conditioned to behave this way. If a person were to walk through many of the areas in Kruger, areas that are rarely accessed by people, the reaction by the lions would be very different. So, while this situation is good for everyone, I do not believe that this behavior by these lions is in any way natural.

(06-27-2021, 07:15 PM)Lycaon Wrote: A gnarly fight .

(06-30-2021, 06:39 PM)BA0701 Wrote:

(06-27-2021, 07:15 PM)Lycaon Wrote: A gnarly fight .

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Whoa! So much power being exhibited, like a small bomb exploded.

(06-30-2021, 06:52 PM)Rishi Wrote:

(06-30-2021, 06:39 PM)BA0701 Wrote:

(06-27-2021, 07:15 PM)Lycaon Wrote: A gnarly fight .

[/url]

Whoa! So much power being exhibited, like a small bomb exploded.

Seeing that one, I noticed that there a guy crounching besides the motobikes in the background in here.. He's filming the above video.