On a free walking tour I learned that these lions are a little off. The artist did not have access to an entire taxidermic lion nor a live lion and so used a stuffed lion's head to model the head, and his dog as a model for the body.
Marika McCoola is an author, illustrator, and educator. She studied illustration, art history, creative writing, and ceramics at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland and received her BFA in Illustration in 2009. Marika then went on to study creative writing and children's literature at Simmons College, receiving an MFA in Writing for Children in 2012.
In addition to writing and illustrating, Marika teaches Studio Art and Illustration online for the State University of New York, Empire State College, and works as an indie bookseller. When not in danger of being squashed by books, Marika may be found skiing or contra dancing.