Real-Life Beauty and the Beast

Woman Bonds with Lioness Who Also Has Epilepsy

By Adam Modzelesky
EpilepsyUSA staff
Posted: August 24, 2004

Famed primatologist Jane Goodall set the standard for 'human/animal relationships' when she forged an alliance with Tanzanian chimpanzees in the 1960s. Her groundbreaking study was one-of-a-kind, and her story captured the hearts and minds of all who heard it. But now Goodall will have to share some of that spotlight, as she's got more company in the 'human-animal bonding' category.

Earlier this year, Texas resident Becky Loher received a special belated birthday gift from her mother Mary – a trip to Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit educational sanctuary located in Tampa, Florida. According to Becky, receiving the trip was thrilling because she has an intense love for animals. But little did she – or her mother – know that the real surprise was still in store.

Strange Similarities

Tales of a human being forging an unusual bond with a wild animal reach your doorstep only once in a blue moon, hence the reason Goodall's case so enraptured most who heard about it. But, just like Goodall's tale, Loher's stands out because it possesses its own unique quality. Loher developed a close, personal friendship with an African lioness, Maya, who shares one of her own defining characteristics – epilepsy.

Diagnosed with epilepsy at age 10, Loher, now 32, has had to endure years of struggle. Societal problems, personal behavior modifications and medication side effects – all have played major roles in her day-to-day life. So, when she saw Maya suffering from these same predicaments, there was an immediate connection, and her heart went out to the lion.

Maya was diagnosed with epilepsy not long after she was born. It is believed that her condition is the result of a head injury she suffered as a newborn cub. Nobody witnessed the incident, so no one is positive why it happened. Maya, born on April 29, 2000, was only 2 months old when two mother lions fought over her and one accidentally bit her head too hard. The incident was so bad that Maya spent about two weeks in a coma afterwards. Since coming out of it, she has been prone to seizures. In addition to causing her head injury, the fight also resulted in her being partially paralyzed on the right side of her head and the removal of her right eye.

Concerning Characteristics

As Loher relived her experience with Maya at Big Cat Rescue, she most frequently talked about Maya's appearance – how she carried herself and how she always had a glazed over expression in her eyes. According to Big Cat Rescue officials, it's not unusual to see a lion with a glazed over expression. Because lions hunt in groups, they're very efficient animals; therefore, it's in their nature to spend their days acting languid.

But according to Loher, Maya looked tired all of the time, and she carried her body as if it were weighed down. Having experienced similar symptoms before, Loher knew immediately that Maya's laziness was more than just natural instinct – she was enduring her medications' unfortunate side effects. Maya's medications are Phenobarbitol and potassium bromide. For Loher, Maya's condition was a point of particular sadness, as she knows all too well how a medication's side effects can drastically reduce one's quality of life.

"[Some] medications make you so drowsy you can't function and you can see it in your eyes," Loher said. "Having been there with the [glazed over] eyes, I know that's not living," Loher added. "I know what it's like. That's existing, not living."

According to Dr. Rose Borkowski, one of Maya's veterinarians, and Jen Ruszczyk, the administrator of Maya's medications and the woman with whom Loher toured the Big Cat Rescue facility, it is unlikely that Maya will ever be able to live drug-free, though the caretakers remain hopeful. They are already in the beginning stages of trying to wean Maya off Phenobarbitol.

"It has always been our hope to have Maya live drug-free, but we'll have to see," said Borkowski. "If animals seize more than once a month, it can hurt the brain. It'll be interesting to see what happens when we taper her off the phenobarbitol. It would be gutsy to pull her off everything at once."

Maya has been on Phenobarbitol since she was 6 months old. This past summer she became quite ill and eventually suffered another seizure. Her veterinarians, Drs. Stacie Wadsworth, Don Boothe and Borkowski, believe that she has developed "a sensitivity" towards the medication. They think her liver might not have been distributing fluids properly.

Learning the Basics Later in Life

Loher's tale only grew sadder as she continued to reminisce. Her second-most notable memory was of Maya's relationship with her neighboring lionesses. By far the feeblest lioness in the pride, Maya's roar is the meekest. According to Loher, Maya's roar is no louder than a baby's, which obviously sounds weird coming out of a fully-grown 4-year-old lion.

"Her roar is like a cat's meow," Loher said. "It was bringing tears to my eyes. It's bringing tears to my eyes right now."

Including Maya, there are three lionesses at Big Cat Rescue. The other two females are named Sarabi and Nikita. According to Loher, Maya gets along best with Nikita, which works out beautifully because their enclosures are situated next to each other.

Because Maya never really had a maternal influence in her life, she never had anyone teach her the basics – like hunting. According to Big Cat Rescue workers, and much to Loher's delight, Nikita seems to have filled the void and taken Maya under her wing. The two friends engage in what can only be considered hunting practice. Because both lions live in separate enclosures and are not permitted to hunt, the two practice these instincts by stalking and hunting each other through the fencing.

Meeting Maya was an experience Loher said she would treasure forever – one that has enticed the University of North Texas student to plan another visit in the very near future. The only thing stopping her from packing her bags for Florida right now is the fact that she is still in college.

Loher is studying political science and peace studies at North Texas University. Peace studies is a combination of disciplines, like theology, religion, sociology and bringing peace to third world countries. It's Loher's dream to work for the United Nations.

The Big Cat Rescue Educational Sanctuary is a non-profit organization and home to 150 exotic cats representing 23 species and sub species of wildcats. According to their web site, accredited sanctuaries do not breed, sell, exploit or trade in animals, and they are one of very few accredited sanctuaries in the country.