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THIS is the heartwarming moment a lion dubbed Corgi is seen messing around with a yellow ball – with the cub earning its nickname for its tiny legs.
The cute social media clip captured the four-year-old cat playing around in its enclosure in China.
The African lion was seen enjoying playtime at Jiudingshan Wildlife Zoo in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province.
Zoo staff said they gave it the nickname because of its noticeably short legs and gentle temperament, making it a favourite among its keepers.
The lion also became an online sensation after the zoo began posting videos of it.
One viral clip showed it playing with a ball as if it were a regular house pet.
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According to keeper Xiao Cai, the reason for its short legs is congenital.
She explained that Corgi was tragically bullied by other lions due to its smaller size.
It is now living in its own separate enclosure as a result of the mean treatment it endured.
The average four-year-old lion is typically between three-and-a-half to four feet tall.
Corgi on the other hand seems to be shorter than that – drawing attention for its unique physical appearance.
Local media reported that Corgi’s legs were about two-thirds the length of a normal lion.
Although it is not currently being exhibited to visitors, Xiao said she hopes that might change soon because of the animal’s growing popularity online.
She added: “I hope one day Corgi can meet visitors because it really is very cute!”
Corgi was sadly abandoned by its mum after birth and was hand-raised by staff throughout its life.
Another staff member said that at first, no abnormalities were found in Corgi.
It wasn’t until it was two or three years old that employees began to notice that its legs seemed to be shorter than those of a typical lion.
China‘s many zoos have previously made headlines – but sometimes have been hit with backlash for seemingly strange antics.
Earlier this year, bizarre footage showed a dog painted as a tiger cub as part of an alleged ploy to lure in more tourists.
The stunt sparked another “fake animal” outrage.
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In February, a Chinese zoo was slammed for painting donkeys in black and white to look like zebras to attract more visitors.
The rubbish dye job was quickly spotted before the Zibo City amusement park in Shandong province admitted the animals were donkeys instead.
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