Lion cub gets ground- breaking MRI scan

Local history was made on Monday 19 May when a lion cub was brought to Garden Route Radiology in George for an after-hours magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.

- Jacqueline Herbst

While the practice has previously accommodated domestic animals on special request by veterinarians, it was the first time they've rolled out the red carpet for the king of the jungle.

Zamba is one of five one-year-old male lion cubs kept in Outeniqua Game Reserve in Ruiterbos in the Outeniqua Mountains. After falling out of a tree about three months ago, Zamba started experiencing problems with his balance. A co-owner, Jurg Olsen, who brought Zamba in, said the balance issues were subtle.

"A regular person wouldn't notice it, but we've been working with lions for years, so we can see something's off," Olsen said.