Kenya Travel Guide
Born Free: Elsa the Lioness
The beautiful story of an orphaned lion cub who was taught by wildlife conservationists to survive on her own.
New Beginnings
On February 1st, 1956, George Adamson, the Indian-born Brit and Senior Wildlife Warden of the Northern Frontier District of Kenya’s wildlife department was engaged in an aggressive confrontation with a lioness. George, a wildlife conservationist, was forced to kill the lioness out of self-defence when she charged him. Unbeknownst to George, the lioness’ aggressive behaviour was due to the nearby presence of her three cubs.
“She was a big lioness in the prime of life, her teats swollen with milk. It was only when he saw this that George realized why she had been so angry and faced them so courageously. Then he blamed himself for not having recognized earlier that her behaviour showed that she was defending her litter.”
— Joy Adamson, Born Free
Shortly afterward, George and his wife, Joy, discovered the lioness’ young cubs. Realizing that he had orphaned three lion cubs and that death was imminent without their mother’s presence, George and Joy took it upon themselves to adopt and raise the cubs.
