CHEONGJU, Oct. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – After enduring eight years of solitary confinement in a cramped enclosure against his will, a male lion who had never experienced companionship found a long-awaited opportunity for romance just three months after relocating to a more hospitable ecological environment.
Meet Baram (19), affectionately dubbed the ‘Ribbed Lion’ due to his emaciated appearance, with his prominent ribs exposed. After a mere three months at Cheongju Zoo, Baram has found a comforting companion in the form of a lioness named Dodo, aged 12.
Cheongju Zoo, renowned for its commitment to animal welfare, recently unveiled their plan to unite Baram and Dodo, set to take place next Monday.
Baram, the male lion, will now spend the rest of his life with Dodo in a spacious 1,750-square-meter wildlife enclosure adorned with large trees and a natural dirt floor.
Having endured nearly a century in human years, this venerable lion was brought to Cheongju Zoo in July, following a heart-wrenching eight-year period of isolation and neglect at a zoo in Gimhae, Gyeongnam Province.
Image credit: Cheongju Zoo, Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com