Feeling Conflicted- Playing with Cubs

**I am going to put a disclaimer on this post- what I am about to share is my personal opinion and doesn't reflect what everyone in our group felt.

Yesterday we went to a lion park in Port Elizabeth that allows you to pay to take pictures and "play" with lion and tiger cubs... For five minutes. (I couldn't resist adding the part about the five minutes since the lady we paid made it very clear.) 

I'm not sure I want to know what animal activists might think of our decision, but we thought- Hey, that sounds like every person's dream! Hanging out with Simba and Rahja? Yes, please!

We weren't off to a great start when we walked in. It was an odd environment and most South Africans we spoke to did not support the park. It didn't help that Rachel and I had read a poor review online awhile back. It could have just been me, but the atmosphere in the main center felt tense. The staff were all volunteers which means the chances were slim that they were trained professionals. They all seemed a little too non-chalant for what we were about to do.

When we got to the pen where the cubs lived, a young, just out of college, girl awaited us. She was in the pen with us the whole time, but I doubt she could have stopped  the cubs if something  went wrong. She was about our age and had no real control over them. She told us, as we entered, that the cubs were being extra naughty today... Never a good sign.

We were all so intrigued and excited by them at first. They were so playful with each other and super cute. As the cubs started jumping and scratching at Sarah's jacket and then Rachel's hair, I began feeling uneasy about the situation. I have been all about adventure during our time here, but seeing how rough the cubs were made me feel like I had made an unwise decision.

You may think, "Well they're wild baby cats, of course they would be rough and overly playful!" But I really hadn't expected that. I had not thought on the situation before I was actually in with the cubs. By the time I warmed up to the babies, my five minutes was up.

Obviously we made it out alive... Rachel does have some battle scratches she can tell her grandchildren about, but I'm still not sure what to think of the experience.

So now I have bragging rights that I "played" with lion and tiger cubs for a few minutes...

Was it worth it? I'm not really sure. 

Here is another thing I want to add: 

If I had posted these pictures and never written this blog post, you would have thought I had the time of my life with these cats. 
I didn't. 
You would have seen the pictures, with my big ol' grin, and probably would have wanted to play with them yourself! I mean, there is no doubt that they are ADORABLE! But the truth is, I spent a lot of my time with the cubs feeling scared. I felt scared for my friends and myself. Nothing happened but who is to say something couldn't have happened? My moral compass felt off yesterday.

If I could do it over again, I would have gone to a park that was better supervised and had qualified staff that were trained to work with  lions. I would have listened to the reviews I read online. I now understand why this place is not recommended by most South Africans.

So,  how often do we post things on social media just to say we did them? How often do we have situations, like this one, where a picture we post tells a completely different story from what really happened?

I would say I "checked off" playing with cubs on my bucket list, but it was despite my best judgement. This post was not meant to be negative, just realistic. We often have big dreams, but sometimes seeing a dream in reality puts your  priorities back in check.

It was an experience just like any other, and I learned a lot from it.

On a different note, we are off to Jeffrey's Bay today! I am excited for a fun, care-free day trip with new friends! 

Love,

Casey :)