ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) – President Barack Obama, owner of two dogs, seems a little envious.
The president opened a news conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on Monday by remarking with admiration on the rare Abyssinian lions that live on the grounds of Ethiopia’s National Palace.
“I’m considering getting some for the White House – although I’ll have to make sure my dogs are safe,” he said.
The Abyssinian lions, famed for their black manes, have long been associated with the imperial dynasty of Ethiopia.
Ethiopia’s last emperor, Haile Selassie I, used to call himself “the lion of Judah.” The lion still appears on the local currency.