Merlin the Magnificent won’t be wowing the crowds at Kirby VanBurch Theater in Branson anytime soon, but the 20-pound bundle of fur is quickly winning the hearts of his rescuers. The theater acquired the lion cub two weeks ago from the recently closed Exotic Animal Paradise in Springfield.
“He’s like a big puppy,” said Chisai Childs, spokeswoman for the theater. “You can tell he’s going to be huge with those big paws.” Merlin won’t actively participate in the show for about a year, when he’ll eventually join the cast of three white Bengal tiger cubs, a 900-pound adult Bengal tiger, two black leopards, and one adult female leopard. “He will most definitely take over the compound. Even in captivity, the male lions are truly the king of the jungle.”
Merlin can grow to about 450 pounds, stand four feet at the shoulder, and stretch out eight and a half feet long, not including the tail. The roar of an adult male lion can be heard approximately five miles away. “Look out when he gets his roar on,” Childs said.
For now Merlin is warming up to his handlers and people in general. He must be bottle-fed and vigorously rubbed with a towel to simulate some of the care he would be receiving from his mother. “He takes an awful lot of attention right now,” Childs said, “But its pure delight. Just watch out for your fingers. He really likes fingers.”
The theater is hurriedly working on finishing a viewing area so that all of their animals can be safely enjoyed by the public. Merlin can currently be viewed in the lobby of the theater before the shows begin.
Courtesy of Branson Daily News