Buddha said, "May all that have life be delivered from suffering."
Published by National Geographic, "Heart of a Lion" reveals the care given to injured, orphaned or otherwise challenged animals in the Harnas Wildlife Foundation in Namibia, Africa. A contrast to "Gorillas in the Mist" and "The Cry of the Kalahari" where the animals were sought out in their natural habitat and studied, this book paints a discerning, enjoyable, but not romanticized picture of the plethora of species and individual personalities of the protectorates.
The strength of this refuge is Marieta van der Merwe, proprietor, or more appropriately called "protector" overseeing the feeding, medical and rehabilitative care of a plethora of 400 unwanted, mistreated or misunderstood animals. Merwe bottle-feeds a baby baboon while conducting planning meetings with her staff of volunteers, family and Bush people. Her personal tragedies, losing her mother at age 12, Congo fever later in life, and the death of a loved one in an airplane crash, are interwoven into the narrative.
The heroes, however, are the animals, inhabiting naturalized enclosures with comforting habitats away from prying eyes of the public: Elsa, the lion cub who napped on the family couch, Grace, a baby baboon fed with an eyedropper, and Gumbi, the hyena, filmed for "Animal Planet' who considers ostrich eggs a delicacy. Marieta's garden is a frolicking playground for baby leopard, Missy Jo and Houdini, the baby baboon.
If author Bennett's writing style rambles a bit, perhaps that is simply reflective of the constant distractions and challenges of unexpected victims arriving at the refuge's doorstep. Compassion and dedication to preserving the lives of those who can't protect themselves is the key here.
I learned some interesting facts as I read: Harnas, the foundation's name was the term for protective armor worn by medieval knights. Actress Angela Jolie, Harnas's official patron, has been photographed with a 23-year old cheetah living on campus. Lastly, a portion of the proceeds from your purchase of this book benefits the animals nurtured at the Wildlife Foundation. Visit the Harnas Wildlife Foundation website for information on how to volunteer, adopt, visit or provide support.
