Kids get a 'high five' from Franklin Park Zoo lion during rare interaction with visitors – WHDH

BOSTON (WHDH) – A Norwood family had a wild encounter with a lion at the Franklin Park Zoo over the weekend, complete with high fives from the big cat.The Villon family had been visiting the park when they told 7NEWS they heard the sound of roaring coming from the lion enclosure.Checking out the exhibit, the family soon found the zoo’s longtime lion resident, Dinari, had approached the glass and was keen on interacting with the visitors.Video shot by the family shows Dinari “giving high fives” to the two small children who approached the glass, including 2-year-old Sarafina, who said she wasn’t afraid.“But my sister was scared,” she told 7NEWS.Throughout the video, Dinari could be seen pawing at the glass separating the animal from the visitors, putting a paw where the kids put their hands while occasionally getting on his hind legs.“It was almost like a trick,” said Kurt Villon. “He would start getting on his hind legs, he was snarling a little bit and putting his head up to the glass.”Sarafina’s mom said they had never seen anything like it before, with the zookeepers telling her that the lions usually sleep most of the day, making the chance encounter even
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