Tiny Lion Cub Practices Their Roar and Delights Tourists in Tanzania
Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Digital content creators, The Traveling Lelis, were visiting Tanzania in mid-July and they captured a video of a tiny lion learning to roar. It's seriously the cutest thing you'll hear today!
The lion cub is just a baby, and you'll hear them practicing their tiny roar in the video. Mom is right behind the little one, watching them closely. She even gives him a 'paw' to remind him to stay close to her. While mom doesn't seem to care about all the people, the little one seems very curious about them. Make sure your sound is on because you do not want to miss hearing all of the cub's cuteness!
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The Lelis' video is total cuteness overload! I wasn't the only one who thought so; the video went viral and has well over 6 million views and more than 15 thousand comments. People loved it! @dontmindbree got almost 25 thousand likes for her comment, "Don't worry mom, I'll scare all these people away... hear me roar!" and @katherine.wolf.slp added, "Awwww he’s trying so hard!!" @johannes.p.m. was spot on when they said, "Fighting the urge to pick up and pet the baby lion must be hard."
Related: Oakland Zoo's Rescued Lion Cubs Share Off Their Tiny but Ferocious Growls
Cool Lion Cub Facts
Lion cubs have a lot to learn from their mom and siblings during the first few years of their lives. Cubs normally stay with their mothers for the first 2 years, then females stay with the pride but the males head out on their own. Moms teach the cubs basic survival skills, like how to hunt prey by stalking, pouncing, and biting. She teaches them how to protect themselves from predators like hyenas, hippos, and rhinos. The siblings practice fighting with each other, which is just as adorable as when they practice roaring. I could watch and listen to that all day!
When siblings practice hunting and fighting, they learn how to move silently, allowing them to attack without ever being seen or heard. These big cats have soft pads on the bottom of their paws that allow them to creep up on their prey without making a sound. Their paws also have a false heel, giving them more leverage when pulling down on their prey like antelopes, zebras, buffaloes, and young elephants.
And speaking of roaring, a lion's roar could be heard up to five miles away! Lions roar for different reasons. They roar to attract mates and to show off their strength to rivals. Male lions roar to show their dominance, and to communicate with their pride. They roar to scare away predators and intruders, and to warn the pride of potential danger. If a lion gets separated from their pride, they'll roar to find their family and the pride will also roar to find the lost lion. While adult lion roars aren't nearly as cute as the cubs' roars are, they're still pretty cool to hear!
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