Lions are not pussycats
Never take chances with wild animals
Editor’s note: One of the contradictions inherent in any zoo is that wild animals are in quarters that, ideally, are safe for humans to be near them. That doesn’t mean the folks who work at the zoo should let their guards down, however. In a column first published 39 years ago today, on June 15, 1978, Alicia Armstrong, the longtime “Zooperstars!” columnist for the old Milwaukee Journal’s Green Sheet section, took a look at how a lion’s looks — snarling and sleeping — can be deceiving. Here’s a one-question quiz for all of you animal experts: Which zoo animal is likely to be more dangerous: a) a snarling jaguar that constantly looks for a chance to take a swipe at the zookeepers who are in charge of his care, or b) a friendly lion that obviously likes people and seeks pats on the head from his keepers? The answer is b). And the reason is that no one takes any chances with an animal that is clearly vicious, but foolish chances might be taken with a wild animal that ordinarily is friendly and seems safe.
The thing is that although the lion may be amiable and reliable 90% of the time, he also might get into a snit for some reason and strike out. And, if he suddenly loses his temper, he can, of course, do terrible damage in seconds.
Or, because of his great strength, the friendly lion might hurt someone without ever even intending it.
Zoo Director George Speidel often has pointed out the dangers posed by wild animals that are unusually friendly. And yet, he himself once walked into a cage with a fully grown lion.
It happened years ago at the old zoo in Washington Park. The lion was a good-natured fellow named Shorty, who had been raised from a cub by zookeepers.
In later years, Shorty suffered a mysterious paralysis of his hind quarters, and one day, when he desperately needed medication, he either wouldn’t or he couldn’t pull himself to the front of his cage where Speidel and a veterinarian waited to help him.
The zoo director said that he did not want to ask the veterinarian to enter the cage, since such a move was potentially dangerous, so he went in himself.
“As I cautiously moved closer and closer to Shorty, I could see that he wasn’t going to do anything,” Speidel recalled. “But, even so, I suppose I was taking a chance. Still, he needed the treatment. He had to have it.”
What was the ailing lion’s manner as Speidel approached him?
“He just looked up at me as if to say, ‘Oh, it’s you.’ ”
Speidel said that lions are “perfect animals for zoos, because they’re very easy to please.” All that lions are really interested in, he said, are food, water and sleep.
“If you had a lion right here in this room and you gave him all the food and water he wanted, he would never leave the room,” Speidel said.
Green Sheet memories
We could use your help with our weekly Throwback Thursday feature. Which features from the first Green Sheet do you want to rediscover or learn more about? Let us know at cforan@journalsentinel.com or by writing to: Chris Foran, Green Sheet Ideas, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 333 W. State St., Milwaukee, WI 53203.
About this feature
Each Thursday, the Green Sheet brings back some of the stories and features that gave the old Green Sheet its distinct identity, including Alicia Armstrong’s “Zooperstars!” column about the doings at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Look for them in print and online at jsonline.com/ green sheet.