Walk With The White Lions Of Mystic

“Bite”.... “Rip”...”Roar”..... the sleep in was great! I have the scars to prove it. Not to worry, nothing to bad. Not many people can brag about a “love bite” that they have on their top thigh from a lion, or a finger slightly ripped by Zumba’s very sharp claws when we were arguing over a 2 litre Coke bottle.

What an amazing experience, this journey was filled with emotional moments, when Zumba allowed me to stroke, scratch and tickle him while lying peacefully under his favourite tree. I cannot express in words how it felt to be so close and personal with the “King of the Beasts”, these gifts from God.

But then reality steps in and brings to mind why I actually did this “sleep in”, to create awareness so that we as South Africans can save our natural, spiritual and cultural heritage. “Please, leave South Africa’s white Lions alone..Let them walk tall in the wilderness which is their mother” (Foreword: Children of the Sungod: Mystery of the White Lions 2001 – Credo Mutwa)

On a lighter note ....little Snowball was as usual lying in wait to pounce on me and who ever dared to come into the enclosure for a visit. My younger son, is extremely proud of his ripped jeans and chewed sports shoe... Snowball, being captive bred but wild, was at first very unsure of me and anybody else being in her enclosure, but as the days went on she became more comfortable, comfortable enough to bite my stick from her vantage point in the tree and also to do some damage to my younger son’s attire.

All in all a humbling experience...I was extremely emotional on the final day...with tears of sadness and tears of joy....thank you Zumba and Snowball for allowing me to share this time with you.

I came out on Friday the 2nd of April and guess what... went back on Sunday the 4th of April, but the weather was not playing along, so I spent most of my time with little Lilly who was more than obliging with her cuddles in the cold weather.

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