Kamuniak

Kamunyak (which means Blessed One), is a lioness in the Samburu National Reserve, in Northern Kenya.

She is famous for having adopted at least 5 oryx calves, and fighting off predators and lion prides which attempted to eat her charges. She suffered starvation, since the calves will not act like lion cubs and wait somewhere while she hunts for food. She also developed several tactics to keep the calves healthy, such as allowing them to return to their herd and feed from their mothers.

Her story was recorded by Saba Douglas-Hamilton and her sister, Dudu, between January 2002 - August 2003. Their film, "Heart of a Lioness", was first shown on the BBC and later premiered in the United States on Animal Planet in March 2005. [http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/wildkingdom/lioness/videogallery/videogallery.html Video clips] from this film can be accessed on the Discovery Channel website, together with [http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/wildkingdom/lioness/interviews/interviews.html audio interviews with pictures] . There is also an extensive [http://animal.discovery.com/fansites/wildkingdom/lioness/expert/expert.html discussion] .

She was last sighted in February 2004, and despite a number of searches, has not been seen since.

ee also

* Owen and Mzee, a hippopotamus and a tortoise
* List of historical cats

External links

* [http://www.douglas-hamilton.com/films/lioness/index.htm Saba & Dudu Douglas-Hamilton website - produced a film "Heart of a Lioness" based on Kamunyak's story]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1746828.stm Magical Kenya News Article - 7 January 2002]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1746828.stm The lioness and the oryx 7 February 2002]
* [http://www.magicalkenya.com/default.nsf/news1/87E78B22D11257FD43256B66002D784B Magical Kenya News Article - 18 February 2002]
* [http://www.magicalkenya.com/default.nsf/news1/DD8415D16B5DE6F043256B79004B96B5 Magical Kenya News Article - 11 March 2002]
* [http://www.magicalkenya.com/default.nsf/news1/E52CDDB87EFC395943256B90002AF3E7 Magical Kenya News Article - 1 April 2002]
* [http://www.magicalkenya.com/default.nsf/news1/A4FBEE7046ED7CAD43256C4F002BE2E4 Magical Kenya News Article - 10 October 2002]
* [http://www.magicalkenya.com/default.nsf/news1/4D77F656BE040F6443256C9800365471 Magical Kenya News Article]
* [http://www.carteblanche.mnet.co.za/Display/Display.asp?Id=2181 Carte Blanche Interactive article - 2 March 2003]