Lion taming is the taming and
training
Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. I ...
of
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'', native to Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...
s, either for protection or for use in entertainment, such as the
circus
A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicy ...
. The term often applies to the taming and display of lions and other
big cats such as
tiger
The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is a large Felidae, cat and a member of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Asia. It has a powerful, muscular body with a large head and paws, a long tail and orange fur with black, mostly vertical stripes. It is ...
s,
leopards,
jaguars,
cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large Felidae, cat and the Fastest animals, fastest land animal. It has a tawny to creamy white or pale buff fur that is marked with evenly spaced, solid black spots. The head is small and rounded, wit ...
s, and
cougar
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') (, ''Help:Pronunciation respelling key, KOO-gər''), also called puma, mountain lion, catamount and panther is a large small cat native to the Americas. It inhabits North America, North, Central America, Cent ...
s. People often use lion taming as a metaphor for any dangerous activity. Lion taming occurs in
zoos around the world to enable the keepers to carry out medical procedures and feedings.
The
Captive Animals Protection Society maintains that animal welfare cannot be guaranteed in circuses.
Notable lion tamers
:''In chronological order''
*
George Wombwell (1777–1850), founder of Wombwell's Traveling Menagerie, raised many animals himself, including the first lion bred in captivity in Britain.
*
Isaac A. Van Amburgh (1811–1865), American animal trainer who developed the first trained wild animal act in modern times.
He was known for acts of daring, such as placing his head inside the jaws of a wild cat,
[''History Magazine,']
"Step Right Up," October/November 2001 issue
and became known as “The Lion King.”.
*
Thomas Macarte (c. 1839–1872), killed during a performance in 1872
*
Martini Maccomo (c. 1839–1871), a lion tamer in
Victorian Britain
*
Carl Hagenbeck (1844–1913), a
merchant of
wild animals
*
Suresh Biswas (1861–1905), Indian circus performer popular in Europe in the 1880s for taming wild animals
*
Claire Heliot
Klara Haumann (née Pleßke; 3 December 1866 – 9 June 1953), known professionally as Claire Heliot, was a German Lion taming, lion tamer.
Biography
Klara Pleßke was born in Halle (Saale), Halle on 3 December 1866. Her father was a government ...
(1866–1953), German lion tamer, born Klara Haumann (Huth)
*
Tilly Bébé (1879–1932), Austrian lion and
polar bear tamer
*
Rose Flanders Bascom (1880–1915), first American female lion tamer
*
Mabel Stark (1889–1968), one of the world's first women tiger tamers
*
Clyde Beatty (1903–1965), one of the pioneers of using a chair in training big cats
*
Irina Bugrimova (1911–2001), the first female lion tamer in Russia
*
Gunther Gebel-Williams (1934–2001), a world-famous
animal trainer for the Red Unit with
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
*
Ángel Cristo (1943–2010), the most famous lion and tiger tamer in Spain, known for his numerous accidents under lion and tiger attacks. In 1982 he won the ''Medalla de Oro del Festival Internacional del Circo'' ('Golden Medal of the Circus International Festival').
''El Periódico'' newspaper (May 4, 2010), article about Cristo's death. Resume of his life and rewards (in Spanish).
/ref>
* Martin Lacey, (born 1947), animal trainer, owner of the Great British Circus, trained most of the tigers used in the ESSO TV advertisements in the 1970s.
* Martin Lacey Jr., (born 1977), son of Martin, an animal trainer and performer with Circus Krone in Munich
References
{{Occupation-stub
Animal training
Circus skills
Animals in entertainment
Lions in popular culture
Lions and humans