Carl

Name: Carl
Born: Approximately 15th of May 2016
Arrived at LLA Sanctuary: 12th of July 2016
Lives with Mela
White Male
Parents: unknown

In July of 2016, Love Lions Alive was phoned about a lion cub that had been kept as a “pet” and was being given up as he bit and scratched. This little cub would be collected by our team and named Carl, after King Carl Gustav of Sweden, in an homage to Swedish volunteers who have assisted our cause. Upon his arrival to the Love Lions Alive sanctuary, Carl was extremely dirty from the small and unclean space he had previously been kept in. He was covered in his own excrement and blood from meat. So much so that we actually did not realise that he was a white lion at first! Despite being very young, he had been eating meat and had lost his ability to suckle. His eyes were drifting apart and there was a dent in the side of his head. We believed he might have received this dent from being hit and thought he might have brain damage, which we would have cared for accordingly. However, after several antibiotic treatments, Carl grew into a completely healthy lion.

He is incredibly clever, and the most clever lion the Love Lions Alive team have ever seen. He invents his own games for himself to keep himself stimulated, such as placing balls and toys on top of rocks or in trees. He also loves water, so we built him his own little pool.

Carl’s story is a sad but excellent testament to how incredibly inappropriate it is to treat a lion like a pet, as well as an inspirational story of recovery and growth. He now lives happily and lovingly with Mela, although his cheekiness does sometimes earn him a growl from his mate. Carl is a truly special lion.