Lily, the rare three-week old white lion cub cuddles up to a new friend

By Daily Mail Reporter

Cuddly buddy: Lilly, a white lion cub, sits beside a teddy bear at the Mystic Monkeys & Feathers Wildlife Park, near Rust de Winter


In the glorious surroundings of Mystic Monkeys & Feathers Wildlife Park in Pretoria, South Africa, three-week old white lion cub Lily feels safe at last.

The rare creature was only born on February 8 to parents Alex and Saharav but had to be taken away for her own safety as her father had begun to show signs of aggression towards her.

Now, though, she has found someone much more tranquil to spend her time with; a little cuddly toy panda.

Lilly dozes most of the day on a shaded pile of cushions.

Every two hours she is woken and fed. Still toothless, her diet consists of an imported milk product.

When she has had her fill, she deigns to make a public appearance to her admiring hordes.

Lilly ambles across the grass to the collective 'oohs' and 'aahs', grunting like a hippo.

Perhaps not quite so much like a princess, after all, but the public still adore her.

'Some people go crazy,' says park owner Christa Saayman.

But what she lacks in elegance, Lilly makes up for in rarity. White lions are classified as a vulnerable species.


Lilly was born on February 8 to parents Alex and Saharav but was taken away for her own safety as her father started showing signs of aggression towards her


Little Lily get up close and personal with the camera lens


But with her blue blood come duties to fulfil. Lilly is destined for an arranged marriage.

'What we would normally do is get a mate for her from a different bloodline and then breed them," explained Saayman.

But for now Lilly lies on the grass, her lip covered in cream and her belly full.

The Wildlife Park touts itself as a 'piece of paradise' and boasts one of South Africa's largest collections of different species primates and exotic birds.

It is also home to the first two Angolan black and white Colobus and Bearded Saki's babies born in captivity in South Africa.

Visitors can also find Chimpanzee and White-Handed Gibbons - two of the 'Big Five' in the 'ape' world.


source: dailymail