"Heart of a Lioness" Transcript, continued

allcolombiana: I am really touched by the lioness's compassion and devotion to the calf. It shows that animals have emotions that sometimes surpass humans'. Thank you so much for recording such an amazing tale.

Saba Douglas-Hamilton: There is a lot of interesting information that has come out recently on the study of animal emotion and intelligence. Most exciting. Very glad you felt this way. Thank you.

spikeypedro: Have there been any subsequent sightings or news of Kamunyak since you edited this remarkable show? What do you suspect happened to her?

Saba Douglas-Hamilton: She was last seen in February 2003. Nothing since then. I hope that she has moved out of the area, perhaps as a result of harassment from resident lion prides, but it's also possible that she is dead. Solitary lions have a hard time making ends meet. It's a bit like being a street urchin. See www.kamunyak.com for more details.

veiledvisitor: What do you believe about animal language? It has been said that language usage separates people from animals, but I think animals all have a language and understanding far beyond what people give them credit for.

Saba Douglas-Hamilton: From our experiences with pets like dogs and cats, it's clear to most of us that there's a lot of communication that goes on without being verbal. Animal communication is a hugely exciting field of science in which the frontiers of consciousness and intelligence are being explored. It's only a matter of time, really, before we crack it.

cometsasha: I cried it was so sad at the end. I would like to know if you cried at all during your time with the lioness and oryx.

Saba Douglas-Hamilton: I was deeply worried about both Kamunyak and the calf. We had many discussions with the warden about what we should do. In the end, we decided that nature must take its course.

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