Lioness Momma Adopts Sick Baby Leopard And Raises As Her Own
Lions and leopards at the Gir National Park don’t usually get on. “They compete with each other” for space and food, said Stotra Chakrabarti, a researcher who studies animal behaviour. “They are at perpetual odds.” And until recently, this statement wouldn’t have been questioned. But one particular lion, against all odds, broke the barrier when she adopted a baby leopard.
The unusual bond formed between the animals at Gir National Park, in Gujarat, India, where the wild creatures crossed paths just over a year ago. The bond was particularly notable as lions and leopards at the park are typically considered to be at 'perpetual odds' with each other, according to Stotra Chakrabarti, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Minnesota who studies animal behaviour.