- 4 weeks ago
Kevin Richardson returns to the sanctuary after a few weeks away and finds a bittersweet scene: some of the lion camps are empty, a sign that an era is ending. As he greets Meg, Gina, Woody, Naobi, Echo and the other animals, he reflects on old age, fading strength, and the deep bonds built over a lifetime of care.
This Animal Reunion episode is a moving sanctuary visit with lions, hyenas and leopards, blending close-up animal encounters with honest commentary about aging, loss, and the mission of giving these animals the best life possible. Kevin also speaks about the support of loyal viewers and members, and how that community has helped keep the work going through difficult years.
The result is a thoughtful wildlife documentary-style vlog for anyone who follows the Lion Whisperer, big cat sanctuary stories, conservation content, and emotional animal updates. It is especially relevant for viewers interested in lions, hyenas, animal behavior, and the realities of caring for aging wildlife.
SEO: Lion Whisperer sanctuary update, Animal Reunion series, wildlife documentary vlog, lions and hyenas, big cat sanctuary, animal conservation, aging lions, emotional animal reunion, nature and wildlife storytelling, sanctuary life and animal care.
This Animal Reunion episode is a moving sanctuary visit with lions, hyenas and leopards, blending close-up animal encounters with honest commentary about aging, loss, and the mission of giving these animals the best life possible. Kevin also speaks about the support of loyal viewers and members, and how that community has helped keep the work going through difficult years.
The result is a thoughtful wildlife documentary-style vlog for anyone who follows the Lion Whisperer, big cat sanctuary stories, conservation content, and emotional animal updates. It is especially relevant for viewers interested in lions, hyenas, animal behavior, and the realities of caring for aging wildlife.
SEO: Lion Whisperer sanctuary update, Animal Reunion series, wildlife documentary vlog, lions and hyenas, big cat sanctuary, animal conservation, aging lions, emotional animal reunion, nature and wildlife storytelling, sanctuary life and animal care.
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00How was your Christmas and New Year? Hey, were you well behaved?
00:07She is the oldest animal in the park. Georgie!
00:14All right, good morning everyone. Um, so I have been away for a couple of weeks
00:19and it's my first day back at the sanctuary. Super excited to see the animals. I hope they're
00:25excited to see me. Now I'm going to get the Meg Pounce on. Hello my girl. All right guys, next
00:35up.
00:38Next up? Who's next up? Actually, what's quite funny, if not sad, is that I've just driven
00:47by two camps and they are both empty. So yeah, guys, the cages are emptying,
00:56which is a bittersweet feeling. Um, bitter in the sense that it's the end of an era,
01:04but sweet in the sense that, yeah, we've honored a mandate, man. It's, it's incredible. So we've
01:11made a promise to these animals to look after them and man, we've, we've done that. I mean,
01:17animals that are dying of old age is, and they've lived a quality life. That's, that for me is, is
01:23really, um, a feather in all of our caps. Um, and I'll say including yours, my support base, because
01:32honestly guys, um, it would be very difficult to have achieved this mission without your support. So
01:40sincerely, a mega thanks to those of you who have followed the mission because there's, there's
01:47seriously been times when I've thought, yeah, maybe it's time to throw in the towel. Uh, it's not,
01:53yeah, so it's not an easy, um, thing to do to take on the lives of others. And I think
01:59a lot of people
02:00think that running a sanctuary is just, uh, happy homes and gardens. And, and although we've had,
02:06you know, many, many happy times, um, we've, we've had equally some, some really rough and, and, and
02:12tough times. So, but it's because of the whole community out there that we are able to endure.
02:20And, uh, honestly, I couldn't do it on my own. So thanks to each and every one of you who've
02:26followed the mission. And, uh, yeah, on that note, if it is the first time you're coming across the
02:31channel and you, you know, you, you like what you're hearing, you like what you're seeing, then
02:36please do subscribe to the channel because that is obviously how we continue, uh, to get the word out
02:42there and to, you know, to continue the momentum and to, you know, keep the channel, you know, from,
02:49from, uh, from, uh, demise, keeping it, keep the channel, the success that it is. Um, it is just
02:57through that continuous, uh, growth and that continuous exposure to new audiences. So yeah. Wow. Thanks guys.
03:14Just wait guys.
03:21Now I'm going to get the, the big pants on.
03:28Hello my girl.
03:32Hello my girl.
03:34Hello my girl.
03:36Ah, breaking my neck.
03:38Ah, you're so gorgeous. Hello my gorgeous.
03:45I can always rely on you to get a nice, nice, nice greeting.
03:51Ah, and here he comes, and here he comes.
03:55Yes, and here he comes. Hello boy.
03:59Hello boy.
04:01There's a my girl.
04:03There's a my, my girl.
04:05What have you eaten?
04:06Ah, you obviously ate yesterday.
04:08That's why you smell, eh?
04:11You've got a smelly breath.
04:13How was your December?
04:15Eh?
04:16What did you do?
04:17Did you just chill here?
04:19Hey?
04:20Hello big boy.
04:22Hello my boy.
04:24Hello my boy.
04:25Yes.
04:27Hello big boy.
04:29Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa.
04:31Cool as I'm a big boy.
04:35I know it's sore.
04:37It's sore to lie down.
04:40Oh, it's effort.
04:43You see that guys?
04:45Oh.
04:46Oh it's effort.
04:48It is effort my boy.
04:51Oh, he's tired.
04:53Tired and sore.
04:55Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:05The greetings aren't as exuberant as they used to be.
05:10We used to have, there was never a time that I would come to Meg and Amy's camp and they
05:16wouldn't jump on me and kind of compete for my attention.
05:28Icarus old age is a bummer, especially for the older lions, the males, I've mentioned
05:35it before but I'll mention it again.
05:38The male lions tend to feel the effects of old age a lot more than the females, partly
05:46because of the muscle mass that they carry, the bone structure, big boned, heavy, lots
05:54of muscle when they're younger, puts a lot of stress and strain on the body.
05:58Whereas the females tend to weather the storm a lot better, like Miss Muffet over here.
06:06And if you didn't really see Meg walking and you just saw her lying down like she is now,
06:15you would think she was probably a 12, 13-year-old lioness.
06:19Yes.
06:20Oh, she's so beautiful and gorgeous.
06:23Yes.
06:24Yes.
06:25My girl.
06:30So, yeah, but just to, you can also see guys, like I'm noticing more and more the fur, you
06:41know, an older cat, it becomes more matted and oily.
06:45They don't, they generally don't groom themselves as much.
06:50And so, yeah, it's, it's horrible.
06:54It's really horrible seeing them age.
06:57It's just not cool.
06:59Hey, Meg, Meggie, we don't like it.
07:02We don't like it.
07:03Hey, it's just not cool.
07:06It's just not cool.
07:09Anyway, you've, she's lived a really good life and, and she still has a lot of miles
07:15in her.
07:16She's still strong like an ox and yeah, you know, long, long may that continue.
07:25Meg is, is a precious soul, loved by many throughout the world, has educated many in her life.
07:35Um, I think, you know, many people have grown up.
07:39In fact, I get, I get that a lot where people write in and they say, literally, they grew
07:45up with Meg and yeah, they grew up with you, my gorgeous, and, um, she's inspired many
07:53people to go and pursue, pursue careers in, in nature conservation, um, in, uh, working
08:01with animals in veterinary.
08:03That is Meg.
08:04She's done all of that.
08:06Um, so that's really, really cool.
08:07When I, when I read, uh, those emails, um, and I hear those stories, it's, uh, it just
08:14makes, makes it all worthwhile.
08:16So, you can see the way she walks.
08:19God damn it to me.
08:19Let's go.
08:53Guys, one thing I have realized with Meg in her old age is that when I start to talk
08:59too much, and that I do, I know many of you out there have mentioned that too, but when
09:06I start to talk too much, Meg doesn't get grumpy, she just merely gets up and walks away.
09:12And she did that earlier, and she came and lay here.
09:16And so I'm going to respect that, and I'm just going to keep quiet.
09:36So Sabindi, he's sitting there watching.
09:47Icky's roaring.
09:50Always a good sign.
09:56Yeah, but the oldies really don't do much.
10:00So, you know, we just got to appreciate these old cats for who and what they are.
10:05You know, there's not going to be videos filled with fun and games and running and jumping.
10:13I'm actually not even sure.
10:15You see, look what she's doing.
10:17Kev, you talk too much.
10:19Now she's going.
10:21Bye!
10:23Off she goes.
10:34And there's Sabindi going off to be with her.
10:38Lying opposite each other.
10:40They tend to get along very, very well.
10:43So, look at that.
10:44Look at that millipede drinking, guys.
10:47That is so cool.
10:49That is a millipede.
10:51And that is, we call it a shongaloro.
10:54And it's drinking.
10:56How cool is that?
10:59Jina, Jina, Jina!
11:02Hello, Jina.
11:05Hello, precious.
11:06Come.
11:07Come.
11:07Come, Jina.
11:10Hello, Ma.
11:12Come.
11:20Looks like you've eaten half a cow.
11:23Hello, Ma.
11:26Hello, mate, gorgeous.
11:28Hello, stinky.
11:31How are you, stinky?
11:32Okay.
11:40Woody and Jina.
11:44Woody.
11:46So, Woody.
11:52Woody is pushing 17.
11:57Jina is pushing 24.
12:0224, my girl.
12:04You know that.
12:05That is very, very old.
12:07You are the oldest.
12:09She is the oldest animal in the park.
12:15Incredible.
12:23The oldest animal.
12:26And a hyena.
12:31That's full of nonsense.
12:36Nonsense.
12:39Check.
12:41She's already starting her junk.
12:44She's starting her junk.
12:46She's starting her junk.
12:46You're both starting your junk.
12:55And what she doesn't realize is that sometimes Miss Muffet actually bites quite hard.
13:03She's trying to do it.
13:04Playfully.
13:04But nonetheless, you've got to calm her down.
13:08Because even at the ripe old age of 24, Miss Muffet starts to administer these bites that say, they say,
13:24Kevin, stop talking and pay me attention.
13:27Where have you been?
13:28You haven't been?
13:32You haven't been giving me chin scratches.
13:35And now I'm going to give you a little bite on the leg.
13:42And then often, guys, I've got to actually calm her down.
13:45Because Gina, even at this ripe old age, can get quite riled up.
13:50And then you've got to just calm her down.
13:52Hey.
13:53Calm her down.
13:54Let me see there.
13:55Calm her down.
13:56Yes.
13:57Calm down.
14:03This is a funny monkey.
14:10So still, ability to run around.
14:23Gina!
14:23That's my bum.
14:30Alright, guys.
14:31So we're going to love and leave Gina and Woody.
14:37Ringo.
14:40Sitting in the water there.
14:45Hello, girls.
14:47Hello, my girlies.
14:49Hello, my girlie.
14:51Hello, naughtiness.
14:52Hello, naughtiness.
14:54Hello, naughtiness.
14:56Hello, naughtiness.
14:57Hello, naughtiness.
14:59Hello, girl.
15:00Oh, là-bas.
15:03Oh, là-bas.
15:06Oh, là-bas.
15:07Oh, là-bas.
15:09Oh, là-bas.
15:10Oh, là-bas.
15:12Oh, là-bas.
15:12Oh, là-bas.
15:12Oh, là-bas.
15:12Oh, là-bas.
15:12Oh, là-bas.
15:13Oh, là-bas.
15:13Oh, là-bas.
15:15Oh, là-bas.
15:18Oh, là-bas.
15:20Oh, là-bas.
15:23girl hello girl gee there was hardly the the greeting like i was hoping for from you echo
15:32uh the problem guys the problem with these two hello skinny she's lost a lot of weight
15:42oh my goodness this aging thing is not a cool thing hey aging is not a cool thing
15:52wow look at the protuberances here guys so honestly that's not through lack of food or
16:01she's doing a little bit better it's through uh yeah they lose protein as their kidneys start to fail
16:11um lose protein in the urine you've given me a nice greeting thank you thank you um
16:21she's obviously faring a bit better now obi um but yeah guys yeah my darling how are you my darling
16:30how are you are you smelling those smelly hyenas oh not happy about that hey not happy about that
16:44yeah my girlie look how you've got so skinny yeah
16:53yeah it's not cool
17:02not cool but you know what still a beautiful greeting from the two girls hello my darling hello
17:13under chin it's still her favorite favorite favorite
17:18hey yeah oh yes oh yes oh yes get that plant out the way get that plant out the way
17:28yeah
17:31there we go there we go there we go there we go there we go yeah yeah yeah yeah no
17:44b now you'll be
17:58uh no b guys what a cat she's always been so full of beans and uh you know if lions
18:09could have a sense
18:10of humor which i do believe some of them do uh because if i compare now ob to echo now
18:17ob's definitely
18:18got a sense of humor she wants to uh stalk and play and like hide and play hide and go
18:24seek and then
18:25pounce on you and she's always done that and um no different now even at 20 she's still when i
18:31first
18:31arrive she's like who's that who's that and then she comes running up whereas echo has never had that
18:39kind of personality and i know people hate to use the word personalities in when it comes to to animals
18:47or especially lions because i suppose the word personality is like personal as in person human
18:54uh but yeah i i don't care working with the lions as long as i have um i have no
19:01problem using that word
19:02because these two cats have different personalities hello girl oh yeah so i suppose guys that's
19:13that's what you get out of the older cats it's you get a greeting if you're lucky
19:17and then they are exhausted they just want to they just want to rest they get up they come say
19:24hello
19:24it's like literally a few seconds and then and then they go and chill and that's what they do like
19:30old cats um so yeah i've noticed a massive drop in echoes condition so that's in a few weeks that
19:38i've
19:38been away um yeah i'll get peter's coming out next week uh to to deal with bobcat but i will
19:49get him to
19:50just have a quick check uh and see if he he thinks anything's up i don't think anything's up other
19:57than
19:58old age um and shame guys yeah when siam passed um it was devastating but uh these two girls were
20:08never
20:08the same after his passing so they loved that guy to bits and again i'm using a human i'm
20:15anthropomorphizing lines by saying they love that guy um and i have in the past um you know made videos
20:22about you know questioning whether lions can love uh i'd like to just say it's a different kind of love
20:30let's call it a love but a different kind of love not the same as as what we potentially experience
20:39but nonetheless they still have a yearning and an affection uh for for a particular individual
20:47and uh yeah when they lose individuals that they've bonded with for such a long period of time
20:53i think it does have an impact uh like like with us but uh yeah is it is it the
20:59same well i suppose we'll
21:02never know all right guys so i think you all know what i'm talking about when you've grown up with
21:13an
21:14animal let's take for instance your dog you've known it since it was a puppy and then it gets old
21:21and it
21:22starts to suffer the consequences of old age we all know that feeling it is horrible and you you just
21:32yearn for the day where those animals would get up and run around and and jump and and be all
21:40happy
21:40you yearn for those days and when you see them like getting old and not being able to do the
21:47stuff that
21:48they used to be able to do it is sad and it's it tugs at your heartstrings and it's emotional
21:55and
21:56you know if you i think most people out there um understand this because i think most people out
22:04there like if not love animals and you know obviously animal lovers will understand this more than
22:13people who just like animals they become part of your family and it's no different with the lions the
22:20lions have become part of my family and so to obviously see echo and obi in a deteriorating condition
22:30and knowing that actually there's nothing you can do it's actually heart-wrenching so yeah
22:36um we're in for some tough tough times tough months tough years and i was saying to somebody the other
22:44day that's probably the the the the large majority of the animals that are in my care will be passing
22:54away in the next one to two years and then we'll be left with the younger groups which is
23:01uh yame and george and thor's group the six so it'll be eight lions and they i mean i cannot
23:10believe
23:11i'm actually saying this but they are all uh past uh midlife as well um so yeah we we we
23:20are
23:21we are as i've said earlier we are ending an era and um it's bittersweet
23:30you
23:52you