THE LION HOUSE AT THE ZOO

Evening Star, Issue 21240, 22 October 1932, Page 5

THE LION HOUSE AT THE ZOO

The lion house has again been the centre of attraction at the Zoo.

In the first place Lena, a well-known lioness, has got a now husband in Cecil, the handsome black-maned lion belonging to Bostock’s collection, who was sent to the Zoo from Whipsnadc because ho was bored by the Zoological Park.

Cecil came to the Zoo with a very bad character; he was said to be a ferocious animal, quite unfit to have a companion, as he had already killed three wives.

However, Cecil is not living up to his reputation. He had only been in the lion house a few days when his keeper discovered that he was too much of a coward to be dangerous. Apparently Lena made the same discovery. When the pair were first introduced they certainly had a fight, but Lena started it and did most of the fighting. Whatever Cecil may have been in the past, ho is now having a new experience, for Lena is the dominant member of the partnership, and she manages him wonderfully. Another newly-attached pair in the lion house are Bill and Nancy Leopard. Nancy is ruling her mate as determinedly as Lena. Before these two met they learned to know one another through a grille. Even then Bill showed signs of being nervous of his prospective partner, for if she snarled he would beat a hasty retreat. Nancy has not failed to keep this early advantage, and it is yet to be seen if Bill will settle down happily with her. One of the lions at Wlnpsnado has also been drawing attention to himself. Nero is one of the occupants of the new spacious enclosure for lions in the country Zoo, and he has been refusing to conform to the regulations. The enclosure has four cages with sliding doors, which are worked by means of a lover outside the paddock. The cages were designed so that the lions could be separated and shut up at feeding time and on occasions when the keepers wished to enter the home. When four lions were placed in the enclosure a joint of meat was put in each cage, but though three of them each entered a cage to obtain food Nero stubbornly refused. And so he had no dinner. The following day he again refused to enter his dining cage, and so wont hungry until his keeper at last took pity on'liim and throw him a meal. It is hoped that he will soon make up his mind to turn over, a now leaf.