The White Lions of Timbavati

Knowing Chris McBride personally made this an especially fun read - but when you read it you'll feel like you know him too. He's exactly the person that comes through these pages! I grew up on dreams of the "Born Free" lions - this book was written in the same era, and it's staggering to realize that these were the first ever documented truly white lions.The 30+ years that have passed since this writing do not reduce either the read-ability nor the applicability of this devoted conservationist's memoires. Read this and the other two books by Chris - you'll enjoy them.

I just saw one of the white lions in Timbavati this summer.She was really amazing. I loved reading the history of the white lions now that I've seen one of them.

Good book. Very good text. I would like more photos but is a good book.

This was ordered as a gift. I read the book prior giving and was well pleased. The recipient was delighted with the book. Thank you!

This is one of my all time favorites since I was a little girl.

Headline or summary for my review required.

ok

really interesting,...

This book was first published in 1977, has 220 pages, 13 chapters, 80 beautiful colour pictures and 2 maps. The book is dedicated to author's wife CHARLOTTE, daughter TABITHA and father CYRIL. CHRIS McBRIDE was born in Johannesburg in 1941 and obtained his degree in wildlife management from University of California. He lives with his family in Timbavati.White lions are white as polar bears, not albinos, but normal healthy lions with yellow eyes and their colour does not change with age. The white colour could make them easy to be seen preventing them from hunting. They may also be targets for hunters. White cubs born in 1975, TEMBA (hope - in Zulu) and TOMBI (girl - in Zulu), were studied by McBride. More white lions could be born to normal Prides, in Timbavati Reserve, next to Kruger NP. When 28 landowners joined to form Timbavati (the river that never dries out) in 1955, the land was kept for conservation of wildlife, with no fences. The land is flat and featureless (lowveld).To study lions, McBride had to watch, wait and listen. He had been charged 6 times, always by a lioness. He sees one of the lion pride male mating with a small pride female in June 1975. By October she had given birth to 1 tawny male (VELA - surprise in Zulu), a white male (Temba) and 1 white female (Tombi). The white cubs were treated no different to the tawny cub by the pride. McBride followed the pride and white lions, to study for his thesis. Charlotte was charged at least 6 times by lions, thankfully while she was in the jeep.The Giraffe would stare at the white cubs curiously. The lips and noses of the white cubs were well pigmented. When Temba limped for days, McBride had to feed the lions with impala, he had shot. The number of lions in Timbavati had not increased due to (1) high cub mortality rate (2) throwing off young lions by adults (3) removal of old lions of the pride by younger outside lions. At 6 months, the white cubs were no longer snow white, but more like polar bear white. Then Mcbride saw another pride of lions with a 6 week old white lion cub -PHUMA (to stand out - in Zulu) - a female cub.The book ends with many questions as to what to do about these white lions and what would be their future?Some other books of interest are:-(1) Operation White Lion, McBride 1981(2) Lion, GL Smuts 1982(3) Mystery of White Lions, Tucker 2010(4) Tales of an African Vet, Aronson 2010(5) White lion, Toth 2011(6) Timbavati Game Reserve, Russell 2012(7) White Lion back to the Wilds, Schofield 2013(8) Saving the White lions, Tucker 2013(9) 101 Kruger Tales, Gordon 2014(10)The Timbavati Secrets, Botes 2014Having born in Kenya, I found this book interesting.

Ordered this for my sister & her husband as a thank you for taking me to SA for a holiday, they were really pleased with the book which was in good condition

very tatty.

Absolutely brilliant...recommend both the book and the supplier.