Lions and Rabbits

Lions, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

We enjoy visiting our local Monarto Zoo, just a few miles from home in Murray Bridge. One of the highlights of a visit to this open range zoo is to take the shuttle bus through the African Lion enclosure, a large grassy paddock not unlike the grasslands they would enjoy in their natural environment.  The only difference is that they don’t have to hunt for their daily meal.

The lions shown in several photos on this post are sitting on a mound of dirt approximately in the middle of their enclosure. Our tour guide on one trip to the zoo informed us that a large number of rabbits lived in burrows in this mound. A few careless rabbits came out to feed in the first few days the lions had taken up residence and paid the ultimate price. The rabbits have now learned to stay holed up until dusk – after the lions have returned to their night quarters for the evening.

Lions, Monarto Zoo, South Australia

Lions, Monarto Zoo, South Australia