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Lions in my living room

I grew up with lions in my living room




Maisie McNeice tells about her life in Africa:

1    When I was seven, our family   4    When I was nine, I started working with
 moved from Britain to Botswana, the lions. At the moment I have to test their
 Africa. My mother wanted us - my hormones by taking poo samples. It stinks,
 sister Emily (then 18) and my three brothers, but I don't mind! I also collect urine samples
 Tom, Angus and Sean (then 11,10 and 8) and by scooping up wet sand after the lions pee,
 me - to experience a different way of life. But which we send to America for testing. We
 I don't think I quite realised how different it don’t get near them, but we recognise them
 would be! by their colour, patterns and markings.
2    After we arrived in Botswana, we went to5    I love the lions - they are so sweet. We
 live at a lion research station in the bush. For don't interfere with their lives, which is hard if
 five years now we've lived in tents. I've got my they are injured, but it's interesting to see how
 own tent with a bed, which I have to check for they manage to survive. Once a lion called
 scorpions before I get in! There are no fences Mercier was attacked by other lions. Her neck
 and it's dangerous to walk around when it is was ripped open. It was awful to see her like
 dark, so we drive - even from the living-room that, but five months later the wound had
 tent to my bedroom tent! Waking up in the healed completely.
 middle of the night and having to go to the6    People always ask me if I miss my friends
 toilet is the worst. I always worry a lion might and family in England. I do, but I keep in
 be around, so I go quickly in the sand outside touch with them by letter. When I visit
 my tent. England I do notice I'm not as much into
3    Once I stepped on a scorpion. Burning fashion and make-up as my girlfriends. Mum
 pins and needles spread up my body and my teaches us at home and we finish by 11am
 throat swelled, it was terrifying! In our tents because the heat makes it hard to
 we often find spiders, bigger than the size of a concentrate. But take it from me - nothing
 CD. I'm not scared of them, but I am scared of beats walking around barefoot and being
 snakes. Tom once woke up and found a outside in the sunshine. I wouldn't
 dangerous cobra in his tent but, thankfully, it exchange my life in Africa for
 glided away. anything in the world.
  CosmoGirl