This was according to Reinet Meyer, a chief inspector at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the society's branch manager in Bloemfontein. She told Farmer's Weekly that humans were not meant to be anywhere near lions in the wild.
"It's indefensible to teach children from a young age that it's acceptable to handle a lion, irrespective of its age. Lion cubs younger than six months old need plenty of rest. They require between 16 and 20 hours of sleep per day for proper development.
"The constant cycle of being picked up and petted interrupts the animals' sleeping patterns and obviously has a negative impact on their health and healthy development," Meyer said.
This story is from the Farmer's Weekly 18 November 2022 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
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This story is from the Farmer's Weekly 18 November 2022 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
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