[OT] Poor kitty.

[Dragongirl]

An infertile lioness with a strong maternal instinct has tried to adopt a baby antelope, only to watch it die like several others she has snatched.

The lioness grabbed the new-born impala calf from its mother in Kenya's Samburu national reserve on Saturday, but instead of eating it, began licking its coat like one of her own.

"We thought it was just a normal kill, but when it got hold of the impala we realised it wasn't going to eat it up, we realised it was an adoption again," said George Oluoch, manager of Larsens Camp, a tourist site in the reserve.

He said the baby impala was found dead on Sunday -- apparently having died from a combination of stress, exhaustion and lack of its mother's milk.

The lioness, named Kamuniak or "blessed one" by wardens, is a loner who appears to snatch antelopes because she cannot have young of her own.

Each attempt has been short-lived, despite her efforts to nurture the calves, in some cases even allowing their natural mothers to feed them.

One of Kamuniak's antelopes was eaten by a male lion, another died, while others have managed to escape back to their natural mothers or were taken away by game wardens.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Yup. .

 

[Skade]

Wow. That story makes you think a little. There is sheer amazement that a lioness would chose an antelope as its adopted child, again and again. Then there is the pity one feels for such a sickeningly painful sight. I'm sure some are amused by the image it presents. It also leads me to question the emotional level of lions. I have never heard of an animal exhibiting that kind of behavior before, at least not with a species normally at the top of its menu.

 

[William Ronald]

It is rather sad, Dragongirl.

The lioness is trying to treat the antelopes with kindness. If she was in a zoo with other lionesses, she might be allowed to be somewhat nurturing to the other young. (I am not an expert on lions. However, I know that in some species, members of a pack do look out for the young.)

My own dog has strong maternal instincts. She adopted a stray kitten, and approaches small animals in a motherly way.

Never underestimate the power of motherly love.

 

[Dragongirl]

Though it is no where near the same level as interspecies adoption. My brother had 2 mice (to begin with) as a kid. One ended up being pregnant when we got it and had its babies. The other female mouse would always stand over them as if to feed them, even though she would not have had milk.

 

[Terraism]

Awww... that's really sad - seems odd to say it, but your heart goes out to that poor lioness.

 

[Alzrius]

That's so sad! I love cats something fierce, and reading about that, that poor lion who wants to be a mama, is just heartbreaking...

I hope someone gets it in their head to find an orphan lion or other feline and let her raise that (though that wouldn't solve the milk problem, but still)...

 

[megamania]

.......and some people suggest animals have no feelings.......

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Thats just messed up. If a human tried to adopt a Sirloin steak, they would be locked up and heavily medicated for a long time.

Besides, that must scare the bejesus out of the adopted animal.

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[Psyckosama]

Thats just messed up. If a human tried to adopt a Sirloin steak, they would be locked up and heavily medicated for a long time.

Besides, that must scare the bejesus out of the adopted animal.

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You my "friend" have no heart.