Lovely story, McGrath. The body language in the picture shows a relaxed and protective lioness. Neat.

However, unless the lioness has mastered the further art of reading, I rather doubt this statement: "Local newspapers have noted that all three adoptions occurred on significant days - Christmas, Valentine's Day and Good Friday." Since no one has claimed seeing the lioness in the actual act of adopting the baby oryx, it seems more likely that humans first viewed the unusual connection on a holiday.

To me, this story makes the first story - that of lions protecting the the abducted girl - more believable. As far as the hunters' take on the situation is concerned- as they say, 'Everything looks like a nail to the man whose only tool is a hammer.'