A seven-year-old Libyan boy by the name of Hamza Masoud befriended a wolf and taught it how to herd sheep near the ancient city of Al Marj, as shown in footage filmed on Tuesday.
The small dog, which stands no more than two feet (66cm) at the shoulder, can be seen obeying Hamza and his five-year-old brother's commands.
Lala, as the wolf has been named, then mixes in with the boys' flock of livestock much like a sheepdog.
"Hussin, my older brother, is the one who brought the wolf and we feed him cow milk to help him grow," Hamza explained. "The wolf attacks any strangers to protect both us and our sheep."
Wild dogs are common in north Africa, with species such as the African Golden Wolf (also known as the grey jackal) found in a region stretching all the way from Morocco to Tanzania.
A seven-year-old Libyan boy by the name of Hamza Masoud befriended a wolf and taught it how to herd sheep near the ancient city of Al Marj, as shown in footage filmed on Tuesday.
The small dog, which stands no more than two feet (66cm) at the shoulder, can be seen obeying Hamza and his five-year-old brother's commands.
Lala, as the wolf has been named, then mixes in with the boys' flock of livestock much like a sheepdog.
"Hussin, my older brother, is the one who brought the wolf and we feed him cow milk to help him grow," Hamza explained. "The wolf attacks any strangers to protect both us and our sheep."
Wild dogs are common in north Africa, with species such as the African Golden Wolf (also known as the grey jackal) found in a region stretching all the way from Morocco to Tanzania.
A seven-year-old Libyan boy by the name of Hamza Masoud befriended a wolf and taught it how to herd sheep near the ancient city of Al Marj, as shown in footage filmed on Tuesday.
The small dog, which stands no more than two feet (66cm) at the shoulder, can be seen obeying Hamza and his five-year-old brother's commands.
Lala, as the wolf has been named, then mixes in with the boys' flock of livestock much like a sheepdog.
"Hussin, my older brother, is the one who brought the wolf and we feed him cow milk to help him grow," Hamza explained. "The wolf attacks any strangers to protect both us and our sheep."
Wild dogs are common in north Africa, with species such as the African Golden Wolf (also known as the grey jackal) found in a region stretching all the way from Morocco to Tanzania.