December 16, 1997
Somewhere in the swampy woodlands of Osceola County, along a stretch of tourist heavy Highway 192 between Kissimmee and Disney, Nala, a two-year old, 450 pound African lioness, roams free. Nala, named for a character from Disney's "Lion King", escaped from her handlers at the Jungleland Zoo during an attempt to move her to a drier area after heavy rains flooded the lion's cage. Though tranquilized, the lioness was last seen running toward the woods near Jungleland and a trailer park.
An extensive land and air search of the surrounding area by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office immediately following the escape was unsuccessful, and had to be called off as darkness became a safety concern for the officers. The search resumed at dawn, but thus far the full-grown lioness has been able to elude capture. Authorities are concerned that the confused animal could cause a potential threat to the public and have notified local businesses and residents to be on the lookout for Nala.
Although the lion has been de-clawed, she should still be considered extremely dangerous. An African lioness hunts by ambush, approaching its prey at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. They use their massive body weight and large paws to knock down and secure their prey to the ground. Killing is normally accomplished in one of three ways; a nape of the neck bite for small prey that severs the spinal chord; a throat bite for larger prey that kills by strangulation; and a muzzle bite that suffocates. Lions become man-eaters less often than tigers, but when they do they are bolder and more aggressive in their pursuit of humans. A man-eating lion often hunts at night and prowls the perimeter of villages looking for victims.
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