Cute Alert: Zoo Boise lion with toddler behind glass window
Zoo Boise lion Obidiah had fun this weekend playing with a local toddler. "Sometimes the lion might be attracted to something that someone is wearing," said Steve Burns, director of Zoo Boise.
Very interesting video! Although big cats often do view small children as food items, I don't think that is the case here. Based on observations of the lions I have worked with, this behavior was curiosity driven. The pawing at the glass and the digging are indicative of wanting to check out what was on the other side of the glass (which is extremely strong, BTW). There was no signs of aggression or apprehension, and you saw her walk away several times. The red clothes the child was wearing could have had something to do with it. Cats generally have monochrome vision, but they can apparently see some colors that we would call red. This child should consider themselves lucky to have gotten so much attention from that lioness!