There is no way Yashwant Khandekar, the caretaker of Jimmy the lioness, who died at Byculla zoo on Monday, knows about British wildlife conservationist George Adamson and his wife Joy, or Elsa their lioness, whose story in the famous book Born Free still enthralls readers.

Jimmy was no Elsa, who was brought up by humans who loved her and set her free. Jimmy was born and died in a zoo. But she was as loved. And as George and Joy were devastated by Elsa’s death, so is Yashwant.