Quiet is the New Loud
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Monday, December 20, 2004
the heart of a lioness
i watched this documentary on discovery channel yesterday. it really got to my heart. it's about a lioness and an oryx antelope in the samburu game reserve in kenya, africa.
what's the different?
one's a prey and the other a predator.
but the funny thing is, the lioness didn't munch and masticate up the young oryx antelope as soon as it got hold to it. instead, the lioness was the mother, and the oryx her cub. for more than 2 weeks, they stayed together. the way the lioness licked the oryx, cared and followed the oryx, protecting it from harm, was totally unbelievable. i was speechless.
this lioness had defied the way of nature where the predator hunts the prey down. what ever happened to what we learned in science, in biology, where predators are born natural hunters and feed on preys? where was the lioness' instinct to hunt and prey? what made the lioness care for the oryx like her own? these were the questions that i asked over and over again. what is baffling is how and why the relationship lasted so long.
the sad thing was, the young oryx antelope was starving. it was deprived of its mother's milk. and so was the lioness, who seemingly abstained meat and fresh blood.
there was once when the oryx antelope could stand it no longer, and went towards an adult oryx for milk. the lioness just stood close by, keeping a look out for the young oryx. the adult oryx fled, leaving the young oryx behind. and then, the lioness started to call out to the young oryx, the way a lioness will call her cub, with her low husky growl.
guess what's the irony? the young oryx died in the end. not from starvation, not from being eaten up by its 'mother'. but by a male lion that was hiding in a nearby bush. the lioness has laid down to rest, while the young oryx walked a small distance away.
the male lion carried away the still alive oryx in its trap. the lioness could only watch helplessly as the male lion fed on her 'cub'.
the lioness hunted a prey the next day. and has not been seen since.
so, what's the real heart of a lioness?
the mother & cub
what's the different?
one's a prey and the other a predator.
but the funny thing is, the lioness didn't munch and masticate up the young oryx antelope as soon as it got hold to it. instead, the lioness was the mother, and the oryx her cub. for more than 2 weeks, they stayed together. the way the lioness licked the oryx, cared and followed the oryx, protecting it from harm, was totally unbelievable. i was speechless.
this lioness had defied the way of nature where the predator hunts the prey down. what ever happened to what we learned in science, in biology, where predators are born natural hunters and feed on preys? where was the lioness' instinct to hunt and prey? what made the lioness care for the oryx like her own? these were the questions that i asked over and over again. what is baffling is how and why the relationship lasted so long.
the sad thing was, the young oryx antelope was starving. it was deprived of its mother's milk. and so was the lioness, who seemingly abstained meat and fresh blood.
there was once when the oryx antelope could stand it no longer, and went towards an adult oryx for milk. the lioness just stood close by, keeping a look out for the young oryx. the adult oryx fled, leaving the young oryx behind. and then, the lioness started to call out to the young oryx, the way a lioness will call her cub, with her low husky growl.
guess what's the irony? the young oryx died in the end. not from starvation, not from being eaten up by its 'mother'. but by a male lion that was hiding in a nearby bush. the lioness has laid down to rest, while the young oryx walked a small distance away.
the male lion carried away the still alive oryx in its trap. the lioness could only watch helplessly as the male lion fed on her 'cub'.
the lioness hunted a prey the next day. and has not been seen since.
so, what's the real heart of a lioness?
the mother & cub