Hugging a Lion in Botswana
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These heart-warming photographs show an incredible bond between a wild lioness and the men fighting to save her species. The amazing pictures show Sirga - a 110lb lioness - and her adopted pride Valentin Gruener and Mikkel Legarth. Modisa Wildlife Project, founded in Botswana, Africa, by Valentin and Mikkel with the hope of saving the lion population.
Mikkel playing with Sirga the lioness. Their work has now been documented by photographer Nicolai Frederik Bonnén Rossen who himself got up-close-and-personal with the magnificent predators.
Mikkel playing with Sirga the lioness cub. The amazing pictures show Sirga - a 110lb lioness - and her adopted pride Valentin Gruener and Mikkel Legarth
Mikkel playing with Sirga the lioness cub. Incredibly she treats the two men just like she would other lions and with their help she can now hunt for prey on her own.
Mikkel playing with Sirga the lioness cub. She is now a beacon for hoped success of the Modisa Wildlife Project, founded in Botswana, Africa
Mikkel posing for a selfie with Sirga
Valentin playing around with Sirga. He said: "A pride had three cubs and two were killed before Sirga was abandoned without food. It happened on our land and we could not standby and watch her die.
Valentin and Mikkel with some of the lions from the project. "We didn't want Sirga to become like other lions in captivity, constantly fed by streams of tourists. She only interacts with me and Valentin.
Mikkel, Sirga and Valentin. She hunts her own food, taking antelopes and she will let us be near her when she eats it which is remarkable.
"Sirga doesn't mind people, but she doesn't pay them any attention. Wild lions are scared of people, the problem comes if you release a lion that is used to people in the wild, that can cause problems.
Valentin and Mikkel with some of the lions from the project. Mikkel said: "If you release wild lions somewhere else, they will come straight back to where they were before because there is food there.
"And if you just dump a pride of lions in the middle of a new territory they will disturb the prides that are already there.
Valentin, Sirga and Mikkel. As these amazing shots show Mikkel and Valentin has an incredible affinity for the lions they rescue and not just Sirga.
