The Mauritius Lions Walk is a unique experience on this East African Island, that raises the question about ethical travel. As an Acupuncturist-at-Sea I had a stopover in Mauritius and explored the Casela Nature Park for a lions walk, along with other island highlights. So, read on to learn about the Mauritius Casela Park and my conclusion on walking with the lions.
Background of Mauritius
This East African island nation is about 2,000 km off the southeast coast of the continent. Also, it’s a part of the Mascarene Islands’ volcanic belt, near Reunion Island, a French territory. The capital and largest city is Port Louis. English and French are the main languages of Mauritius. Because of its colonialism history, it’s diverse in culture and ethnicity. Moreover, it’s the only African country where Hinduism is the largest religion. Plus, it’s also been rated as the most peaceful African country. Overall, Mauritius is known for its biodiversity with unique flora and fauna endemic to the island.
Ethical Questions on the Lions Walk in Mauritius – As a wildlife lover, I raise the question on the ethics of interacting with wildlife, like the lion and cheetahs at Casela Park. Firstly, I question 3 things: Are these animals drugged, kept in unnatural cages, or abused in any way? When this opportunity arose, it felt ok to do, although I questioned it ethically. But, I raise the point for others to consider tours like this with awareness and research for your own responsible travel.
My Mauritius Lions Walk Experience & Highlights
During my ship’s stopover at Port Louis, I signed up for the tour for “walking with lions.” Knowing I may never have another day in Mauritius, this tour sounded like the best way to enjoy it. We headed out to the Casela Nature Park, featuring wildlife and walking with lions. Here’s some background information on Casela Nature Park, as well as the animals that I observed.
Casela Nature Park
The park is a nature and adventure park, 14 hectares in size, located besides the Rempart Mountain in southwest Mauritius. It’s home to wildlife, such as, 1,500 birds, zebras, ostriches, giant tortoises, lions, cheetahs, giraffes and many other animals. There are 4 main sections of the park:
1. Big Cats Kingdom – Walking with the Lions, interaction with cheetahs and camel-riding.
2. Safari Kingdom – Giraffe feeding and interaction with Rhinos.
3. Middle Kingdom: Tortoise Feeding and Petting Farm
4. Mountain Kingdom: Zig Zag Racer, The Risk Factor Bridge, Zip and Splash Tour, Canyon Swing and The Deep Valley Long Fly
Firstly, we head out on a safari bus to the Yemen Reserve, where visitors walk with the lions.
The Lion Trainers/Guides brief us on the safety precautions. Then, as a group we stood and just waited for the guides to allow the lions near us. Here, is where I was nervous, expecting full-grown lions to come out. However, 2 frisky adolescent lions came out to join us. Actually, I was relieved to see them this young. We just observed as the 2 lions played, climbed trees and rocks, while the handlers enticed them to walk along with us with food for reward. Overall, it was interesting to be this close with no barrier in between us with these beautiful cats. It felt somewhat natural in that we just observed and let them behave independently. We did not touch them.
Then, we headed over to the area with the cheetahs. We walked into their large grassy area and saw them up close and learned about them. Also, we had an opportunity to pet and get a picture with the cheetah. As my picture reveals, I am quite hesitant, even though I could hear the cheetah sweetly purring. I learned that the World’s Fastest Land Animal, the cheetah, is by nature more peaceful and less ferocious than lions. Maybe, that’s because they are so fast that they don’t need to be as ferocious.
The Middle Kingdom’s Tortoises – Here we enjoyed the lovely tortoises with beautiful and massive carapaces. The shells are exquisite.
From Casela Park, astounding views reveal the lush green countryside, mountains and ocean. From both Casela and Port Louis, you see the distinctive Le Pounce “the thumb,” named after its peak shaped like a thumb. At 812 metres, it’s the third largest mountain in Mauritius and a popular place to hike with views of Port Louis.
Conclusion on Mauritius Lions Walk
In all my travels this is the only place, that I even considered the experience to “Walk with the Lions.” Surprisingly, I felt safe and appreciated observing the lions up close. As for the ethics, I will always question ethics with taming wildlife. As travelers, we need to be vigilant and question ethics, while respecting our humbling Mother Earth and her beautiful cats. My overall conclusion going forward is I will say “No” to any tourism involving “walking with lions,” because I choose to be a part of the solution that keeps animals in their natural habitat.
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