Keeper's Tale
A collected from the animal keepers at Hollywild Animal Park. The keepers interact with the animals daily and offer insight into the behind-the-scenes and personal nature of the animals at the park
Lion Kobe Visits Sherman
Kobe, a large African lion, has been a familiar face around Hollywild for almost years. Recently he visited Sherman College of Chiropractic, in honor of the school’s lion mascot and several lion themed programs (PRIDE and ROAR). But during his visit, Kobe left a special imprint on guests gathered there for their annual homecoming and Lyceum celebrations – a moment they will long remember.
Kobe was born at the park August 16, 2003 and is half brother to Daktari, another lion also born at the park.
Early intervention is often a necessity for big cats and other animals born in captivity. If the mother has any concern over her cub’s health, she will follow her natural instinct and abandon the cub. In the wild, the concept of ‘survival of the fittest,’ rules. But at Hollywild, keepers can help animals overcome minor difficulties that in the wild would be life threatening, so many receive the majority of their care from the keepers. As cubs they socialize their human caregivers, making them accustomed to people. This results in the animals that actually respond to human interaction rather than hiding from humans. By caring for these young animals, many are saved to grow into healthy adults who may not have survived in the wild. Even after keepers spending time caring for other animals, some of the keepers will visit with the lions who actually behave in ways that show they recognize their former keeper, explained head of animal staff, Jeanne Peters. An additional benefit is that these animals are not bothered by people walking around them in the park setting. Visitors are able to really connect with the animals, learn from them, and develop an appreciation for them.
Such was the case with Kobe. His bond with humans, particularly Hollywild’s executive director, David Meeks, enables him to travel the country for various appearances, which help to educate the many people who see him and help them learn to appreciate lions. While not yet listed as endangered, their populations are declining in the wild, primarily due to man’s influence on their environments.
“It is important to keep educating people about these animals because every person has the potential to make a difference in their survival,” said Meeks.
Kobe seems to enjoy his outings, unless he has to leave his lady friends for too long, explained Meeks, but on the visit to Sherman, he gave an unexpected twist to his appearance.
“We were excited to have Kobe on our campus to add some fun and Sherman pride to Lyceum, our homecoming and continuing education event,” said Sherman College President Jon Schwartzbauer, D.C., “The Board of Trustees was meeting that weekend, and that group was particularly interested in visiting with him.”
“Kobe was very quiet during much of the set up for the special photos with the school’s board. He maintained a quiet, regal composure while everyone gathered for photos around his lexan enclosure. (Lexan is a clear material enabling photos to be taken where it appears there is no enclosure at all). Once everyone was in position, the photographer prepared them for the shot. The instant she said “smile!,” Kobe let out a huge roar, immediately scattering the group. It was one of those ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ moments,” Meeks said.
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