Lonely lioness looks for love

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

It could be the best dating advert ever: queen of the jungle, likes long walks and steak dinners, WLTM hairy king to share her 360,000-hectare (890,000-acre) home.

But for Lady Liuwa the plea is no joke – as she just might be Africa's loneliest lioness.

The eight-year-old has been alone for nearly her whole life after her pride was wiped out by hunters and dwindling food stock.

Later this year, experts will introduce her to a male with the closest genetic make-up to the Liuwa lions they can find.

'She is Liuwa's last surviving lion, and could be the loneliest lioness in Africa,' said wildlife photographer Stephen Cunliffe.

'For Lady Liuwa's sake, let's hope that this reintroduction is successful.'

Heavy poaching in the Liuwa Plain National Park in south-west Zambia devastated the prey base for Lady and her relatives.

Some of the majestic animals were shot for their valuable skins or to stop them hunting villagers' cattle.

Since the Africa Parks Network took over in 2004, poaching has fallen but wardens have failed to find Lady a new mate.

A previous attempt to introduce a suitor into the territory failed when he died – and other stray males passing through the plain have failed to turn Lady's head.

APN wardens keep track of her with a radio collar to ensure she is not harmed, especially during the six months each year when the flooded park becomes inaccessible to humans.

But, as she has no mate, Lady spends almost every night near the human camp in the centre of her territory.

'Some believe she is lonely and, as a social cat, seeks companionship from the only available species, man, who is too slow to flee from her instinctively,' added Mr Cunliffe, 32.

'Although totally wild, Lady Liuwa is not aggressive. She certainly deserves the utmost respect from anyone lucky enough to meet her.'

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?Lonely_lioness_looks_for_love&in_article_id=628941&in_page_id=34