The White Lion

The white lion I have pictured here come from a farm near Bethlehem in the Free State of South Africa. The lion are bred here as they can not survive in the wild, they are not albinos but a very rare species. In 1994 there were only 10 white lion in the world but now, 10 years on, there are over a hundred. There are different places in South Africa who bred them.

These lion cannot survive in the wild, as they do not have the black tip to their tail. When lionesses hunt they signal each other with their tails.

In some indigenes beliefs the pure white animals are sacred. The white buffalo by the North American Indians, the white cows of India, the white bull by Zulus in Africa. The appearance of a white animal has deep profound meanings to some.

On this farm in the Free State called Cam-o-rhi I met some of these pure white cubs and fell in love. The cubs are taken from their mother at a week old and hand reared. When you walk around the lodge they will follow you. And if you are there at feeding time they will give you a bottle to feed them.

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