ALTERED PROVINCE

The blanks in the flat below can be filled in with two words having the same first two letters

While trekking in Zimbabwe, a long
   way from a zoo,
Attacked by a _ _ _ _ ,  I
   almost lost a _ _ _ _ .

HINT:
Canadian provinces

Answers:

LION
LIMB - - - ON and MB are the abbreviations for Ontario and Manitoba.

Credit:
The Enigma
NPL Magazine
November, 2019 
R/EDS