Feeding the lions at London Zoo

Dinner now please thanks

 Recently, London Zoo introduced a whole host of new animal experiences, to allow the public to get up close and personal with some of their beautiful creatures. Naturally, I was drawn to the chance to feed Lucifer, the male lion. A combination of my birthday money and a rumour I'd heard that Lucy-Lou (as the keepers call him) was moving to another zoo spurred me on to book immediately.

Originally I was booked in for last Sunday, but Lucifer was under the weather. Despite repeated attempts by the keepers to call him over, offering him food and trying all the usual tricks, he just would not come over to be fed, so I had to rebook for this weekend.

On arriving at the zoo we headed straight over to the lion enclosure, where we were met by big cat keeper Tony. I put some gloves on and he showed me how to feed Lucifer through the fence, using tongs, and staying a good distance away from the wire, which looked flimsier that it ever had before. I fed him diced horse meat a piece at a time.

 The only time he really stopped eating was when my mum was taking photos. He obviously felt like he was having a bad hair day as he took a few seconds to stop and roar at her, in a no-photos-please kind of way.

There I was, thinking that we'd bonded for life - he's always been my favourite animal at London Zoo and it's a shame to see him move to pastures new - but no, once he'd had his breakfast his simply stalked off, with not so much as a thank you. RUDE.

Roaring with happiness after a good feed.