Of all the places to wind up…
A few years back, visitors at the Washington DC National Zoo got to witness a live lion hunt, only it wasn’t some pre-planned exhibit for season pass holders…
A fawn was walking around Rock Creek Park, which surrounds the zoo, when it decided to be adventurous and check out what was behind one of the many concrete walls.
Through a tragic strike of truly awful luck, the fawn just so happened to find itself in the lion’s den…
No, not some metaphorical bad place to be, the literal lion’s den, complete with two hungry lionesses.
The crowd gathered around to watch a once in a lifetime event take place right before their eyes, and while everyone was cheering for the deer, you have to think everyone knew it didn’t have a shot.
It did actually get away for awhile, although it’s clear the lion wanted a little fun chasing this thing down. Unfortunately for the lions, handlers got them back in their cages before they were able to make the kill. Veterinarians were called to give assistance to the badly injured fawn, but they weren’t able to help it and ended up putting it down so it didn’t have to suffer anymore.
The original videos were split into pieces, part 1 and part 2 are below.
Part 1
Part 2
A local reporter went to get more information the next day, which is where we learned how this story ended.
Maybe this makes me heartless, but I was rooting for the lions…
Can you imagine how happy you have to be when you see a live animal prancing around your pen after years of raw chickens? Has to be the equivalent of us seeing a filet mignon after a steady diet of kale and quinoa.
And that’d be one hell of a feeling…
Also, what kind of enclosures are they using that a baby deer can just prance its way into the pen? I’d imagine if a fawn can get over the wall, so can the lion… and I do not want to see that lion hunt.
Deer Falls Into The Polar Bear Enclosure At Pittsburgh Zoo
Don’t do it…
What was this deer thinking? Polar bears are some of the most expert killers on the planet, even when in captivity. The largest and most carnivorous of all the bear species, these massive animals can weigh over 1,600 pounds and stand over 10 feet tall.
Their chalk white fur is made to blend in with the snow and ice as camouflage to the harsh environment they live in.
These beasts are known for their ability to hunt everything down, coming from miles and miles to feast primarily on seals, but they will also eat walrus, reindeer, on occasion even whales. The old saying goes with polar bears “if you see one, it’s already to late”.
They often take no prisoners and kill at every opportunity they have, as their environment can be highly unforgiving.
Naturally, most animals try to stay well clear of these deadly beasts.
This deer didn’t get the memo.
The old security footage from back in 2007 at the Pittsburgh Zoo shows two polar bears having the time of their life playing in a pool.
Out of nowhere a deer jumps the fence and takes the long dive, approximately 20 feet, down into the polar bear pool.
The polar bears immediately turn their attention to the deer and go check it out.
At first they seem confused, but let’s be real… that deer wasn’t gonna fare well stuck in a cage with two full-grown killers. Once the deer got out of the water, the polar bears began to chase it around the enclosure, but luckily for the deer, zookeepers were able to intervene before it could be mauled to death.
Unlucky for the deer, it went into shock after the fall, the swim, and running for its life from the two white bears it’s never seen before, and had to be euthanized.
Can you imagine surviving all that just to go into shock and have to be killed? Tough way to go…
According to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, the deer put up quite a fight though, using its antlers and hooves to keep the bears at bay during the brief encounter.
Dr. Barbara Baker, president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo attributed the deer’s survival to the immature age and inexperience of the polar bears, who aren’t quite used to hunting for meat:
“The young bears didn’t know what to do… and the deer was an aggressive animal. They’re very inquisitive and very curious, but they don’t quite have that killing instinct.”
The stuff you see…
Here’s another view of the security cam (not the best quality).
Black Bear Mimics Young Boy At Nashville Zoo
Hilarity.
Nothing beats an animal being funny, especially with people in a safe situation.
Bears are some of the funniest animals out there. Anytime you have the opportunity to watch one, you realize how intelligent and capable they really are.
Black bears are a simple animal, they love food. Their whole life revolves around getting it and really the have no predators. So, their whole focus is eating, naturally they become good at it and can weigh as much as 600 pounds if they are well fed.
These bears can break into vehicles, garages, garbage cans and anything else where there might be food. Their drive to eat makes them highly intelligent, able to problem solve and get what they want, despite how difficult it may seem.
This makes black bear surprisingly easy to tame. Not that bear training is for the faint of heart, but it can be done.
Zoos are known to keep these animals happy by keeping them well fed to avoid any risk.
This often leads to very happy bears.
This black bear at the Nashville Zoo must have been fed well.
He is seen jumping up and down mimicking a young kid who does the same on the outside of the enclosure.
What a smart creature.
