There is such a thing as turning off the cameras and forgetting about ratings for a few minutes to remove the snake out of the den's area. They knew what the outcome would be cornering a cobra. And Flower.....would still be alive. I will miss u Flower, lots of viewers will miss you.
I never thought I'd cry over a animal.I WAS WRONG!There isn't a job in world that could pay me enough money to watch her die.Just seeing her face made me tell my kids to leave the room.I know that was probably wrong since nature is nature,but my 7 year old doesn't need to see her "girl" die.I feel as if a family member has died.
I will miss flower so much! It took me a while to relize that the crew couldn't just take a cobra and put it somewhere else. Yes it was sad but I wouldn't blame the crew, they had to leave mother nature alone. I think they probalby wanted to because they probaly would have known what would happen. but you can't just change nature, things die. I cried for hrs about this, but I guess I have to admit to myself that she is gone, and there is nothing anyone can do about it.
Yeah. I think personally, that the researchers and AP are using the meerkats as entertainment. Why couldn't Flower be saved, the question is very easy to answer. They want us to keep on watching so they can get good reviews and make money, what else would they make the questioning commercials.
To everyone who wishes the researchers/film crew had "done something": What would you have someone "do" about a Cape Cobra, one of the most deadly snakes on the planet??? Please, do tell!!
Hire a snake wrangler- I've seen them on AP with Steve Irvin. They have lots of experience getting poisonous snakes out of all kinds of places in Australia, which has at least if not more deadly species of snakes than Africa itself. Perhaps one of them would have gotten rid of the snake long beforehand and who knows? Flower might have been still alive...
2 dear: I appreciate the well-intended suggestion, but have you considered the consequences of such a disruption to the natural balance in the region's eco-system?
If Meerkats were on the edge of extinction, they would have tried to help then. Is this the only time humans interfere with nature? No its not they are a research center I still feel they could have intervened in some way to save Flower. It's was just very sad to see her suffer like that and to suffer for 48 hours they could have tried to give her some antibiotics. They filmed her every day and come in to contact with her and the group for daily weigh in. It was just that last look she gave the camera it was a look of help. Then she was gone left to die in a bolt hole all alone!!! She did not deserve that!!! They are interfering with nature when they are studing them the animals have to learn not to fear them in order for them to be around them everyday and monitor their daily activities. If you go to the Kalahari Research Meerkat Site there are pictures of our beloved little friends all around the researchers. This is tampering with nature, letting them get that close they could come in contact with something from us that could be harmful to them No matter what anyone says if you care about something so much that has given you so much joy you would do everything in you power to help. So no I don't feel that they should not feel bad they had a chance to try and to something, if she could not be saved well then they should not have let her suffer like that.
I totally agree with you! I'm still horrified. I have the image still printed in my mind of her beautiful face so swollen and distorted!! I'm still crying off and on! The crew, or someone, could have taken a few minutes to divert the snake away from the burrow, or the scientist could have helped Flower! I think they made a major mistake not to do so. It will jepoardize the ratings of MM! I'm upset,and angry with everybody that witnessed the tragic outcome, could have prevented it, AND DIDN'T!!! I don't want to hear again "it's only nature taking its course!" She will forever be the Desert Rose, and always reign as Queen in my heart. Rest in peace, precious one! MM will NEVER be the same!!!
FYI I forgot to mention early for those who have not heard. Tim Clutton-Brock is publishing a book about our beloved Flower. It will be out 10/04/07 and the name is The story of Flower of the Kalahari, if you go to Amazon books they can notify you by email when it is available for purchase. This should be a very good book as it starts from the birth of Flower.
I'm with Dawg 1918. Flower is shown for just a few seconds, her body withering away from the snake bite, but it was like a stake through the heart. I don't want to see it again.
For those of you who missed the episode,which will reair in the second slot Monday night, it's O.K. to watch until the last three minutes of the show. Once Flower is seen entering the burrow, switch the channel, particularly if you're very sensitive.
I feel the same way. They could have set the research aside briefly. Some human intervention would've been greatly appreciated by all. I'm still shocked and upset over what happened. It will be tough to continue watching without her, but we'll all have to accept that life goes on.
I am also sad about Flower. She was my favorite. But even if the researchers had saved her - who's to say that something else couldn't have happened to her since then. The researchers would not be able to save our favorites over and over again.
I agree that the people are not supposed to interfere with nature while they film them to help people learn about them - but that they do interfere some by catching them and weighing them and collaring leaders - so it would have been nice if they had been wearing snake protection and headed the cobra off from the burrow.
No matter what anyone says if you care about something so much that has given you so much joy you would do everything in you power to help. So no I don't feel that they should not feel bad they had a chance to try and to something, if she could not be saved well then they should not have let her suffer like that. 
