ENVIRONMENT REPORT - Kenya Lion Cares for Oryx

ENVIRONMENT REPORT - November 8, 2002: Kenya Lion Cares for Oryx

By Cynthia Kirk

This is the VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT.

Scientists do not understand the unusual actions of a female¹ lion in a protected
wildlife park in northern Kenya. The lioness in the Samburu National Reserve has
been caring for baby antelopes³ that it would normally⁴ kill and eat. The lioness has
become the most popular animal in the wildlife park. Many people have visited the
park to observe her unusual behavior. Scientists say the lioness has defied⁵ the laws
of nature.

Local people in Kenya named the lioness Kamuniak, which means “the blessed one” in the local Samburu
language. She has cared for five young oryxes since January. An oryx is a kind of African antelope². At birth, the
oryx is a light brown color. When it grows up, it develops black and white markings on its face. It develops long
straight horns. Lions in the wild usually eat them.

The lioness became famous in Kenya when pictures of her were published on the front page of a local newspaper.
She was walking side by side and lying in the grass with a baby oryx.

The lioness has cared for each of the five baby oryxes and protected them from other lions. Most of the oryxes
later escaped with the help of their mothers. Sometimes, park officials had to intervene⁶ to rescue a baby oryx as it
became weak from lack of food. Their mothers were usually too afraid of the lioness to get close enough to feed
their young. One time, however, a baby oryx was eaten by a male lion while Kamuniak slept.

The lioness usually does not hunt for food while raising the baby antelopes. Experts say she apparently⁷ is too
concerned about the safety of the oryxes to leave them alone.

Wildlife experts do not understand Kamuniak’s actions. Some have said the lioness wants to be like a mother to
the baby antelopes because she is unable to give birth to her own babies. Others say she has a mental disorder⁸.
Park officials have welcomed nature experts and researchers to the park to study the lioness’s strange behavior.

Last month, one of the oryxes died of starvation and the lioness ate it. It was the first time Kamuniak had eaten
one of the young animals. A wildlife official at the park and many visitors were surprised to see this. But the
official said it was only nature.

This VOA Special English ENVIRONMENT REPORT was written by Cynthia Kirk.

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1 female   

adj.雌的，女(性)的；n.雌性的动物，女子

参考例句：

• We only employ female workers.我们只雇用女工。
• The animal in the picture was a female elephant.照片上的动物是头母象。

2 antelope   

n.羚羊；羚羊皮

参考例句：

• Choosing the antelope shows that China wants a Green Olympics.选择藏羚羊表示中国需要绿色奥运。
• The tiger was dragging the antelope across the field.老虎拖着羚羊穿过原野。

3 antelopes   

羚羊( antelope的名词复数 )； 羚羊皮革

参考例句：

• One jump, and you're out, and we'll run for it like antelopes.' 你只要一跳就出来了，我们可以像羚羊那样飞快地逃掉。”
• Most antelopes can withhold their young for weeks, even months. 绝大部分羚羊能把分娩期推迟几个星期，甚至几个月。

4 normally   

adv.正常地，通常地

参考例句：

• I normally do all my shopping on Saturdays.我通常在星期六买东西。
• My pulse beats normally.我脉搏正常。

5 defied   

不服从( defy的过去式和过去分词 )； 公然反抗； 蔑视； 向…挑战

参考例句：

• He defied his opponents. 他公然反抗他的对手们。
• The vastness of space defied comprehension. 外层空间的茫茫无垠让人无法弄清其究竟。

6 intervene   

vi.干涉，干预，干扰，阻挠

参考例句：

• When riot broke out,the police were obliged to intervene.发生暴乱时，警察有责任干预。
• You don't intervene between those two drunks.你不要在那两个酒鬼之间进行调解。

7 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

8 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。