Actress Anna Khilkevich surprised her eight-year-old daughter Anna-Maria with an unusual birthday gift: the girl became the guardian of a small lioness, reports infohub.kz.
At the safari park, Anna-Maria chose a lion cub that now bears her name. The girl will be able to watch the predator grow, learn about its life, and care for it.
The actress said the gift reflects her daughter's character. According to Khilkevich, the girl has shown a special love for nature and animals since childhood.
"Masha is a person with a huge, huge heart. She is quite reserved, as befits a Lioness, noble, helpful, empathetic, self-sacrificing... but at the same time kind, charismatic, active, and cheerful," the actress wrote on Instagram.
In the family, Anna-Maria, according to Khilkevich, often becomes the center of attention. The girl loves inviting friends over, playing with children, and finding a common language with everyone.
"Masha is the center of our family, the life of the party, and... of our village. Thanks to her, our house is always full of children. She invites everyone over, plays with everyone, talks to everyone, and knows how to find her own approach to each one," the actress shared.
By the way, three months ago, three lion cubs were born in the safari park. One of the babies has now been taken under the guardianship of Anna-Maria. The animal was named after the girl.
Khilkevich admitted that the birthday girl did not expect such a gift. The actress explained the choice by saying that her daughter loves to care for others and is interested in animal and nature protection.
"My husband is Leo, and Mashenka is also a lioness. And she also has a unique talent for always thinking about others. About animal protection, about our planet, even about insects. She is a girl very close to nature, and her heart holds love for all living things. So we decided to give her... a lion cub," Khilkevich said.
In the published footage, the girl chooses a lion cub in the enclosure, and then cuts the ribbon on a plaque with the animal's name. Anna-Maria and the actress herself are listed as guardians.