ountain Lions

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

One morning just as the Baron was looking out his castle window onto Castle Lake an urgent message was reported to him that two mountain lions were seen on the castle grounds. The security officers were called into a special meeting to ascertain why the mountain lions had come down and were so close to Lilliland Castle. Mountain lions are rarely seen near the village. The security guards wanted to hunt and kill the lions at once. The Baron said no to the killing of any animals. Professor Hamblin was be called to a special meeting that afternoon. Professor Hamblin had been the Baron's advisor for many years. The Professor asked to bring in an expert advisor on the behavior of mountain lions. Two questions had to be answered. Why did the mountain lions come down from the mountain, and what were they seeking?

The answers to the two questions about the behavior of the lions gave the Baron the proper direction for the solution to the problem. They had come down to Lilliland Castle to search for food. The reason for this was to find food to take back to a newborn family of mountain lion cubs. The Baron ordered a search team to locate the family of lions and provide food for them.

The Baron also established a wildlife sanctuary in the mountains for the animals to be taken for their own health and safety. All sick or injured animals would be taken to the sanctuary. The Professor thought that this was a fine solution to the problem. The actual trapping of the sick animals would have to be done with great care so as not to frighten them or make their conditions worse. They would use sleeping powder mixed with food to put the animal to sleep. While asleep the animal would be taken to the wildlife sanctuary, treated, and, at the proper time, released. There would be enough food and special care to solve the animals' problems. The wildlife sanctuary was very large and well protected to insure the safe recovery of all the wildlife in the Lilliland area.