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 to | | 5 | | 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 the | | 6 | | 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 |