Watch the Heartwarming Moment a Lion Recognizes the Man Who Rescued Her

Valentin Guener and Sirga have been best friends for years. Valentin is a German-born animal conservationist who founded the Modisa Wildlife Project in Botswana. Sirga is a lioness that Valentin rescued as a cub.

Sirga, who is now almost 3-years-old, was orphaned just days after she was born, after her siblings were killed and her mother stopped providing her milk. Valentin slept next to Sirga, under the stars, for her first eight months at the sanctuary.

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Recently, Dr. John Hawkins visited Modisa and recorded the moment Sirga is reunited with the man who saved her. “This guy is exceptionally inspirational,” Dr. Hawkins writes. “He takes her on game walks and she can even hunt on her own!”

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