Kenya Animal Stories

Review: Living Free by Joy Adamson.

This is the second book to Joy Adamson’s trilogy and it was as good as the first, “Born Free”. I can’t wait to read the third book, “Forever Free”. This book starts off where the first book ended. Elsa is a lioness of two worlds. She has the interaction with George and Joy Adamson’s who raised her from a cub in a wild environment preserve and when they thought Elsa was ready they successfully moved her to a natural wild habitat completely miles away from their camp and watch her for a short time to see if she would survive and find a mate.

The second book starts as George and Joy Adamson go back after sometime to see how Elsa is faring even though they felt they shouldn’t get involved in Elsa’s life extensively as they had before. It didn’t take long for them to notice that Elsa had a mate, which George just happened to see them couple together so they left and decided to come back at another time to see if Elsa had cubs. When they returned they set up a portable shelter to stay a few day and see if they could found Elsa and possibly a cub or two. After some time Elsa did greet them with affection and Joy noticed Elsa had teats but they were tucked in and no milk was present. Joy thought this was odd and kept checking Elsa because if she did have cubs how was she nursing them. Elsa was mysteries when she went away from their tent at different intervals and when they went looking for her she would not come to them. Even when Elsa was out walking with George and Joy she kept changing the route away from different areas to keep her cubs hidden. Mostly in the evenings they would hear her mate call for her and sometimes she left their camp and went to him or she would just ignore him.

As time went on and a few trips back to where Elsa lived they finally knew she did have cubs but not how many. George had found where Elsa was hiding them while Joy kept Elsa distracted, but he only seen two. Plus, in the meantime Joy had found out that a Lioness teats only hung down when she is filled with milk so Elsa must have nursed the cubs just before coming out and greeting the Adamson‘s. Then the day came when Elsa finally was seen out with her three cubs on the ridge of the big rock where she liked to lay in the sun. She had given birth to one female and two males. They named them Jespah, Gopa, and Little Elsa. There are many episodes of adventure, play time, lessons to learn, photographing, feeding events, swimming in the river, for the cubs, Elsa and the Adamson’s.

However, there were sad times when Elsa would have to defend herself and the cubs against other predators (animal and poachers) of the wilderness. Elsa was scratched, bitten, mauled and strayed away with her cubs for days at a time. Once Elsa and the cubs were away for at least two weeks, but after much worry from Joy, she managed to come back to the tents and Joy would take care of Elsa’s wounds. Even though they claimed not to get to involved again Elsa and the cubs brought love and happiness to George, Joy and I….

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Living Free is Part Two of the story and tells of the birth of Elsa's cubs and follows the first year of their lives. Another wonderful tale of this magnificent lioness that is absolutely touching. The true story of Elsa's life and the life of her cubs in by far one of the most fascinating stories of wildlife and nature that I have ever read. I admire the Adamson's for their devotion to this lioness and her three cubs and I envy the love the lioness showed the couple. How amazing must it have been to have had such an up close and personal relationship with a lioness and her family in the African bush?! A truly astonishing story that will always remain with me. ( )

Old Children's Book. Liked it as a kid, but haven't read it in years. ( )

This is the follow-up to Born Free. In Living Free, Joy Adamson describes Elsa's pregnancy, birth, raising of the cubs, and the cubs' life after Elsa's death.

i loved these books when i first read them as a pre-teen and recommend them highly. ( )