- guardian.co.uk, Sunday February 17 2002 00.52 GMT
Game wardens at Samburu National Park say the lioness spent yesterday lying down with the delicate oryx calf in the shade of an acacia tree, grooming it and warding off predators.
'The lioness and her calf are doing well,' said park warden Mark Lenya-kopir. 'There are other lions trying to attack the lioness to get to the baby, but the rangers are protecting them and the lioness is protecting the calf.'
When the lioness adopted her first calf last month, animal behaviourists said she had probably mistaken it for a lion cub. But on Friday she showed full awareness of the calf's species, allowing its real mother to feed it before chasing her away.
The lioness nursed her first baby antelope for two weeks, nudging it gently across the savannah - before a hungry lion with more traditional tastes ate it as she slept. On waking, the lioness attacked the lion but was driven off.
Park staff said the lioness has been following herds of oryx ever since. 'She never kills them,' said head warden Simon Leirana. 'When she is hungry she goes after warthogs.'
Since adopting her second calf on Thursday, the lioness has not eaten. Lions can go a month without food, but unless she continues to allow the oryx calf to feed from its mother, it is unlikely to last more than a few days. 'We cannot try to feed the calf since the lioness is keeping a close watch,' said Leirana. 'It is walking along with the lioness, but this is likely to change as it gets weaker.'
'This is one extraordinarily maternal cat,' said lion expert Jim Cavenor. 'I've seen lions adopt a few small animals, but they usually end up turning round and eating them after a couple of days. But she seems to be totally fixated on this little one.'
