There is a lot we can learn from the animal kingdom, and countless video clips prove that time and again. For instance, this video showed how a herd of buffaloes chased away two lions, displaying the power of unity, or in another video, a big doggo kindly taught a scared puppy to overcome its fear and cross the doorway.
Twitter user Indian Forest Service officer Dr. Anshuman Sharma shared a new video from Gujarat’s Gir forest, and it looks like a scene straight out of a cartoon movie. Check out this casual conversation between the Kothari area’s forest guard named Mahesh Sondarva and an Asiatic lion in the middle of the street, where the animal actually listens:-
My lion hearted staff pleads (in Gujarati) that I am there full day in your service so now please let me go and the King gracefully agrees. #wildlifeweek2020 @DCFGirEastDhari @ParveenKaswan @CCF_Wildlife @Alok_brahmbhatt @susantananda3 @aditiraval 📹: Guard Mahesh Sondarva pic.twitter.com/4xVqyduUuQ
— Dr. Anshuman (@forestwala) October 5, 2020
In the video clipping, we see the forest guard returning home after duty, during the pitch-dark night. His vehicle’s headlight, which is illuminating the road ahead, soon shows a lion blocking his path on the road. The guard requests the lion in the local Gujarati language to leave the road. He pleads that it was late and he wished to go back home. He then made a sound and the lion actually obliged, moving away from his path and back into the forest. The guard was finally able to reach home safely, TOI reports.
“I began filming the interaction using my phone because our deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Gir East, Anshuman Sharma, had instructed us to record anything unusual,” said Sondarva. Having ended the 10-minute stalemate by making sounds, he explained, “The sound is usually made to check if lions are responsive.
Prakash Javadekar, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change also shared the same video calling it “a beautiful example of harmonious co-existence”.
A Gir Forest employee finds a lion on road. He tries to explain in Gujarati, the lion that he has been working whole day and requests to now kindly let him go home.And,the King of Jungle obliges…
A beautiful example of harmonious co-existence#wildlifeweek2020 pic.twitter.com/QptdL4bMla
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) October 7, 2020
Tweeple were left charmed, seeing that the guard’s request was actually heeded by the lion. Here are some of the reactions:-
I think it is moments like this which makes Gir an enigma wrapped in mystery.. I believe staff and lion chemistry can be explained by borrowing a line from a Hindi song ‘एक एहसास है इसे रूह से महसूस करो’
— Dr. Anshuman (@forestwala) October 5, 2020
Heart warming to see this interaction between Guard Sahab and the King ! Live and let live in harmony !
— ananditp4 (@ananditp4) October 7, 2020
Heart to heart talks. Language no bar. This is an example of how humans and animals have lived in harmony since ages. Only before wicked ideas started coming into human minds. 😈
— Priyanka Gupta (@piyu_gupta) October 7, 2020
My 20 yrs experience with lion, they read your heart.
— Save Asiatic Lion (@savelion_office) October 6, 2020
This is true soul contact
— R K GUPTA (@RKGUPTA86046328) October 7, 2020
Great Man Animal relationship. Hats off.
— Supradip Sen (@Nupur_59) October 6, 2020
Animals know instinctively if you are a friend or are going to cause harm. Thank you for sharing this video.
— Santosh N Jois (@SantoshNJois) October 8, 2020
Great Man Animal relationship. Hats off.
— Supradip Sen (@Nupur_59) October 6, 2020
Su vaat che. Motabhai ne Gujarati samjhe che.
— Sahil Jobanputra (@SahilJobanputra) October 7, 2020
We loved how the guard was so polite and the lion obliged as if it understood every word the officer said. What do you think? Tell us!