Amazing moment excited Edinburgh Zoo lion runs up to Christmas gifts before smelling and pawing at them
A video shows Asiatic lion Jayendra running up to Christmas gifts in his enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo, before smelling and pawing at them.
A lion was captured playing with Christmas gifts in his enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo.
Jayendra, the Asiatic lion, was gifted several boxes, sprayed with a catnip-like perfume to encourage him to play.
The lion, nicknamed Jay by staff, was spotted investigating the gifts, before smelling and pawing at them.
Staff said the presents doubled as birthday gifts - with Jay turning 15 years old on December 23.
A representative from Edinburgh Zoo said: "It was perfume that was sprayed into the boxes for enrichment - this stimulates their olfactory senses, promoting natural behaviours like sniffing, rubbing, and rolling.
"This scent-based olfactory enrichment encourages exploration and mimics environmental complexities for captive big cats."
There are thought to be just 6,000 to 7,000 Asiatic lions left in the wild as the species faces threats from habitat loss and poaching.