I came across this story on a TV serial while surfing channels... It was too bizarre to believe. A lioness and a baby Oryx walking side by side as if they were a family. Cats are know to play with their prey before killing it, and that's what I thought was happening here. But the two were caressing each other, sleeping alongside each other... for 4 days together! That's a too long period for a cat and mouse play, eventually hunger should take over. Now, this lioness was completely wild and about 3 years old. So she had killed and eaten antelopes for the last 3 years, every 2-3 days. What on earth was making her act like this now? One of the fiercest predators on earth feeling affectionate towards its prey? How long can this weird relationship survive?
They continued to live together like a lioness and her cub for 15 days. In these 15 days, the lioness did not hunt and kept getting weaker. The baby antelope was too small, and needed its mothers milk to survive. It could not digest leaves or grass. It even tried to suckle the lioness. Her obsession was killing them both. What happens next? My heart was pounding with curiosity..
They continued to live together like a lioness and her cub for 15 days. In these 15 days, the lioness did not hunt and kept getting weaker. The baby antelope was too small, and needed its mothers milk to survive. It could not digest leaves or grass. It even tried to suckle the lioness. Her obsession was killing them both. What happens next? My heart was pounding with curiosity..
How will the lioness react when she sees a wild antelope, will she attack it? And if she does, how will she now react to the baby?
How will the baby react when it sees its herd? Will it try to run away? Will its instincts tell it to be afraid of the lioness?
How will the two react when they encounter a pride of lions?
How will the baby react when it sees its herd? Will it try to run away? Will its instincts tell it to be afraid of the lioness?
How will the two react when they encounter a pride of lions?
As time passed, they were getting closer and closer to encountering one of these situations and believe me, all of the above happened... Anyways, long story short, the baby tried to run away with its herd, lioness tried to attack other antelopes (her affection seemed only for that particular baby). And the way this story ended was, a lion came along and killed the baby. The lioness was too weak and anyways lionesses hardly will confront a lion. Lions are know to kill cubs of other lions when they take over a pride, and the lioness reacted exactly like she would under that situation.
And the last question is, What made the lioness act like this?
Here goes the proposed theory:
There was an epidemic or something in the sanctuary and probably the lioness lost her entire pride. She was too young to adapt to this. Lions are highly social animals. And lionesses are almost never alone. They are the core of a pride and always stand together. Our lioness was too lonely now and in desperation beat the odds of nature and adopted this baby. If you have watched 'Cast Away', the baby was playing the role of 'Wilson'; and if you haven't watched it, go watch it.
By the way, the story doesn't end here. After the baby was killed, the lioness did hunt, first time in 15 days! But her obsession didnot end there. She went on to adopt 5-6 Oryx babies. Some escaped to their herds, some died of starvation, some were eaten by other predators... And then the lioness disappeared somewhere. Nobody knows where she went or what happened to her? And the legendary story ended!
Be it a lion or a human being, as a social animal, our emotional needs are immense. To me the story is an example of how loneliness can drive a social animal crazy!
And the last question is, What made the lioness act like this?
Here goes the proposed theory:
There was an epidemic or something in the sanctuary and probably the lioness lost her entire pride. She was too young to adapt to this. Lions are highly social animals. And lionesses are almost never alone. They are the core of a pride and always stand together. Our lioness was too lonely now and in desperation beat the odds of nature and adopted this baby. If you have watched 'Cast Away', the baby was playing the role of 'Wilson'; and if you haven't watched it, go watch it.
By the way, the story doesn't end here. After the baby was killed, the lioness did hunt, first time in 15 days! But her obsession didnot end there. She went on to adopt 5-6 Oryx babies. Some escaped to their herds, some died of starvation, some were eaten by other predators... And then the lioness disappeared somewhere. Nobody knows where she went or what happened to her? And the legendary story ended!
Be it a lion or a human being, as a social animal, our emotional needs are immense. To me the story is an example of how loneliness can drive a social animal crazy!
