A lion husband’s loyalty and love for his sɪᴄᴋ wife have touched hearts worldwide. In a beautiful display of devotion, this lion stayed by his mate’s side until her last ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ.
Leo And Muñeca Have Known Each Other For Nearly Their Entire Lives
The lions and their children were rescued from a circus in Peru in 2014 by Animal Defenders International (ADI).
They were briefly separated during their rescue, but other than that, they were rarely ever apart. “Leo and their sons, Chino, Coco, and Rolex, were successfully ʀᴇᴍᴏᴠᴇᴅ during a ʀᴀɪᴅ on the first day of the mission in August 2014, but the circus blocked the seizure partway through and then went into hiding,” Jan Creamer, president of ADI, told The Dodo.
“ADI caught up with them six months later and over 600 miles away, saving Muñeca and their daughters, Africa and Kiara … They were almost always together, exploring their 4-acre habitat and resting under the trees.” In August, Muñeca suddenly fell ɪʟʟ — and Leo immediately became even more protective over her than he already was.
Creamer Said:
“Leo has always watched over Muñeca, but when she became unwell, he realized something was wrong,”
“He was seen trying to encourage her to her food and appeared to comfort her.”
While she was sɪᴄᴋ, Leo stood to watch over Muñeca and even cuddled her to try and help her feel better. In those moments, it was clear how much the pair loved each other, a beautiful example of how lions express their love.
“We have seen the closeness between lion companions and the bonds they share on many occasions,” Creamer said. Studies have shown that lions cuddle each other to strengthen their social bonds, and Leo and Muñeca were caught cuddling many times during their years together.
Despite their best efforts, Muñeca’s condition continued to deteriorate. Muñeca ᴘᴀssᴇᴅ ᴀᴡᴀʏ in September at 19 years old, leaving Leo alone and ɢʀɪᴇꜰ-sᴛʀɪᴄᴋᴇɴ. The zoo staff was concerned about how he would cope with ʟᴏsɪɴɢ his mate and worried his health would decline.
Leo stayed by her side until the very end, and she left this world knowing exactly how loved she was by him. The zookeeper’s Zoo monitors Leo’s behavior and provides him with the care and attention he needs. They are also committed to educating the public about the importance of conservation and zoos’ role in protecting ᴇɴᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴇᴅ species.
Even though losing Muñeca was heartbreaking, watching how Leo cared for her was a beautiful moment that everyone around him will remember for years to come. The story serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting ᴇɴᴅᴀɴɢᴇʀᴇᴅ species and zoos’ vital role in their conservation.
