"Heart of a Lioness" Transcript, continued

animalplanetphan: 1. What can the lioness offer in terms nutrition to the baby? 2. Are these animals conscious that people are present?

Saba Douglas-Hamilton: 1. Nothing.

2. A strong zoom lens brings the audience right into the action without intruding on the animals. On all occasions, we tried to keep back as far as possible. If you approach them in the correct manner in a vehicle, and keep your distance, they're not bothered. However, they are aware of a sentient being within the vehicles because they always look at you straight in the eyes. I think they see human beings in vehicles as a rather noisy and smelly, bumbling creature that has a large carapace or shell. If you try to maintain as low a profile as possible, and keep your distance, they will continue to act out their lives in a relaxed and natural manner.

urban199: How did the loss of the calf affect you?

Saba Douglas-Hamilton: We were devastated, but not surprised. Nature will revert itself, no matter how savage that may seem to us.

horsesnpapillons: I once saw a picture of a male lion with a baby zebra on the internet. Is this picture true?

Saba Douglas-Hamilton: It's probably not fake. It probably just captured the moment right before the lion killed the zebra.

tasneem: Have you seen this lion since the filming of the show? And have there been any other cases with any other lionnesses doing this?

Saba Douglas-Hamilton: We followed the lioness for a year after this first event — and then she disappeared. As far as we know, this is the only incident.

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