I find this story very interesting because it says a lot about our own shortcomings.
The mother lion tried to show kindness with several baby oryx but wasn't able to provide proper care and caused two oryx babies to die. A third had to be taken away because it was dying of malnourishment. With this latest baby oryx she has adopted, she seems to have learned enough to let a lactating Oryx feed the baby, but how many tries and dead oryx did it take to keep one alive? And just because she wanted to be a mother to one?
Some may see this as viewing the glass as half-empty when the story is supposed to be intriguing. I don't find it unique because it's nature. Just because humans don't understand an animal mothering infants of another species, it doesn't make it "odd." There has been evidence of such things for thousands of years. A human not seeing it doesn't make it suddenly fascinating.
What I do find interesting is the human study, the sociological scene giving way to so much wisdom if we care to see it.
Humans do this all the time. Humans are always having babies they can't take care of and then we have millions of starving, neglected, abused children around the world because of it. Then, we have religious organizations demanding we keep breeding but then they don't care for the children dying of malnutrition and abuse once they are here.
If someone cannot nourish a child and keep them healthy, they shouldn't have them. It is our duty - a woman's duty as the giver of life and a man's duty as the protector of that life - to consider the health and well-being of any potential child born to them.
Love is wonderful but it doesn't keep a baby alive.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/
The mother lion tried to show kindness with several baby oryx but wasn't able to provide proper care and caused two oryx babies to die. A third had to be taken away because it was dying of malnourishment. With this latest baby oryx she has adopted, she seems to have learned enough to let a lactating Oryx feed the baby, but how many tries and dead oryx did it take to keep one alive? And just because she wanted to be a mother to one?
Some may see this as viewing the glass as half-empty when the story is supposed to be intriguing. I don't find it unique because it's nature. Just because humans don't understand an animal mothering infants of another species, it doesn't make it "odd." There has been evidence of such things for thousands of years. A human not seeing it doesn't make it suddenly fascinating.
What I do find interesting is the human study, the sociological scene giving way to so much wisdom if we care to see it.
Humans do this all the time. Humans are always having babies they can't take care of and then we have millions of starving, neglected, abused children around the world because of it. Then, we have religious organizations demanding we keep breeding but then they don't care for the children dying of malnutrition and abuse once they are here.
If someone cannot nourish a child and keep them healthy, they shouldn't have them. It is our duty - a woman's duty as the giver of life and a man's duty as the protector of that life - to consider the health and well-being of any potential child born to them.
Love is wonderful but it doesn't keep a baby alive.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/
Monday, 1 April, 2002, 14:00 GMT 15:00 UK
Lioness adopts third baby antelope
Tourists flocked to watch the unlikely pair
A lioness in Kenya has adopted another baby oryx - her third in as many months, game wardens at the northern Samburu National Park have reported.
The lioness is said to allow a female oryx several minutes each day to feed the new-born calf.
The last calf was killed while she was sleeping
The oryx would normally represent a tasty meal to a lion, but this is not the first time the lioness has placed a calf under her protection.
One was seen in her company in December last year, but it was eaten by other lions after two weeks. Another calf was taken away from her in February and placed in a zoo because it showed signs of malnourishment.
Dangers
The chief game warden in Samburu, Simon Leirana, said that the lioness was seen with a baby oryx no more then three days old early on Saturday.
"We are baffled. We do not know what to do with this third oryx," said Mr Leirana.
Lions, like all the other species, including human beings, have this kind of feelings for babies
Conservationist Daphne Sheldrick
He said wildlife officials might decide to let nature take its course, leaving the calf to take its chances with starvation or other predators.
The lioness is said to be "fiercely protective" of the oryx - becoming very aggressive when any human come near.
Three adult onyxes have been seen near the unlikely duo though, one of which is believed to be the mother.
Grief stricken
When the last calf was eaten by a male lion while she slept, the lioness was said to have been stricken with grief - she went around roaring in anger.
Cases of lionesses showing maternal affection for animals they would normally see as prey are not unprecedented, conservationist Daphne Sheldrick said.
"It does happen, but it's quite unusual. Lions, like all the other species, including human beings, have this kind of feelings for babies," she said.
Lioness adopts third baby antelope
Tourists flocked to watch the unlikely pair
A lioness in Kenya has adopted another baby oryx - her third in as many months, game wardens at the northern Samburu National Park have reported.
The oryx would normally represent a tasty meal to a lion, but this is not the first time the lioness has placed a calf under her protection.
The lioness is said to allow a female oryx several minutes each day to feed the new-born calf.
The last calf was killed while she was sleeping
|
One was seen in her company in December last year, but it was eaten by other lions after two weeks. Another calf was taken away from her in February and placed in a zoo because it showed signs of malnourishment.
Dangers
The chief game warden in Samburu, Simon Leirana, said that the lioness was seen with a baby oryx no more then three days old early on Saturday.
"We are baffled. We do not know what to do with this third oryx," said Mr Leirana.
Lions, like all the other species, including human beings, have this kind of feelings for babies
|
Conservationist Daphne Sheldrick
|
He said wildlife officials might decide to let nature take its course, leaving the calf to take its chances with starvation or other predators.
The lioness is said to be "fiercely protective" of the oryx - becoming very aggressive when any human come near.
Three adult onyxes have been seen near the unlikely duo though, one of which is believed to be the mother.
Grief stricken
When the last calf was eaten by a male lion while she slept, the lioness was said to have been stricken with grief - she went around roaring in anger.
Cases of lionesses showing maternal affection for animals they would normally see as prey are not unprecedented, conservationist Daphne Sheldrick said.
"It does happen, but it's quite unusual. Lions, like all the other species, including human beings, have this kind of feelings for babies," she said.
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