The toddler and her pet lion cub

What part of zoo and owners child do people not understand!?

ridiculous.... am fed up with animals being treated this way. They are not toys nor are they pets! They are natural born kilers and wild animals. The cub should be with its mother. And the parents of this child need to be shot.

Why all the negative comments? The cub is no more dangerous at that age than a pet dog. It will play - it's what cubs do. Yes, the child could get a scratch, but that's as bad as it's likely to get. If you remove all risk from life it gets very boring. I agree that once the cub reaches sexual maturity, it presents a risk - but the zoo-keeping parents know that anyway and will remove the cub before it becomes a threat. I've played with big cats a number of times. Try to work out the psychology rather than just tagging all big cats as mindless killers. Especially at that age, it's just not true and the cub represents no threat. Well done to the parents for providing the cub with a 'family' and providing the child with a worthwhile experience. I suspect that the people leaving all these negative comments have no experience with these animals at all.

animal rights- you wouldn't take a child away from its wother like that so why treat another living creature that way
i'm not for this
its wrong

We must assume that the child was not left alone with the cub but if it was, then it makes no difference whether this was a 'wild' animal or a 'normal' pet. As a toddler, I had a small terrier dog as a playmate and would happily cuddle and play-wrestle him. One day, when my mother was busy with my new baby brother, the dog suddenly jumped on me and bit my face. Luckily, it missed the eyes but I carry a tiny scar to this day. I doubt if it was being more than playful and I had probably provoked his action by inadvertently hurting him but it scared the wits out of both mum and me. Sadly, we never had another dog and I remained scared of them well into adulthood. Moral, never leave a toddler completely alone on the floor with any animal, however tame you think it is.

I think the cub will probably survive. Most toddlers are dangerous but it should be ok.

preety but not fair on the cub..

Complete and utter idiots, to think a wild animal can be brought up like a cuddly kitten. Not fair on the lion or the child.

Give the cub a few months and the child will become a tasty titbit.

I love the picture but the parents need a transplant for sense. That little cub will not stay that size and then it could hurt the little girl badly. The claws themselves can be deadly. Parents, by all means introduce the cub but not leave it in a playpen with the little girl and always have sense and thought. Have you thought also parents that when it is time for the cub to be separated, their little tot will be so upset. It is cruel to rear a wild animal in such a way as the lion will not know where he belongs.

Aww Bless!!