Kenya's Oryx-Adopting Lioness Does It Yet Again

East African Standard
January 11, 2003
Posted to the web January 12, 2003

Keya Lucas
Nairobi

For the sixth time, the headline-making lioness at the Samburu National Game Reserve has adopted yet another baby oryx.

The latest adoption saga was sighted by a tour-guide driver, at around mid-day near Larsens Airstrip within the lion rock area.

A receptionist at the Samburu National Reserve Lodge Lydia Mwangi called tourb offices to break the news of the latest adoption.

"This is another wonder. The lioness has adopted a baby oryx for the sixth time," said the General Manager of the Game Lodge, Mr Duncan Kiroro.

Kiroro estimated that the baby oryx could be three days old. The oryx' mother was seen hanging around but was not allowed, by the lioness, to suckle the baby.

The Samburu Game Reserve lioness took its first baby in January last year from its mother and nursed it for two weeks before it was snatched and devoured by a lion.

The second to fifth oryxes were adopted in February, March, May and October, in that order.

A follow-up story

Mother Oryx Reclaims Her Calf From Lioness

East African Standard
January 22, 2003
Posted to the web January 22, 2003

Keya Lucas
Nairobi

The Samburu lioness famed for adopting oryx calves has lost its latest ward which was reclaimed by its mother.

The headline-making lioness at the Samburu National Game Reserve had last week adopted yet another three-day old oryx baby. This was the sixth time the lioness had adopted an oryx in the game reserve.

The Samburu Intrepids Club Manager, Duncan Kiroro, told the East African Standard that the Oryx-adopting lioness released the baby oryx to suckle when its mother came around during the night but the mother and baby later disappeared .

Game rangers are closely monitoring the movements of the lioness, which they said is frantically looking for its lost 'baby'.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200301220048.html