Snyman, a 31-year-old, from the Waterberg region of South
Africa, has adopted a tiny cob of a white lion last spring. Now the lion,
called Tima, is a year and six months old, weighs 120 kg and eats not less than
4 kg of fresh meat per day.
As a cub Timba could often be found snoozing in Annel’s
bed but having outgrown the bedroom the friendly feline still tries to cuddle
up with Annel on the sofa.
bed but having outgrown the bedroom the friendly feline still tries to cuddle
up with Annel on the sofa.
Annel’s love for animals started six years ago when, with
help from her mother and father, she opened a guest house – called Loebies
Guestfarm – on the land where she lives.
help from her mother and father, she opened a guest house – called Loebies
Guestfarm – on the land where she lives.
In a bid to make the resort more appealing she decided to
adopt various farm animals and this eventually turned into hand-rearing African
cats and other wild animals after being approached by someone in the game
industry in 2009. [MORE PICS INSIDE]
adopt various farm animals and this eventually turned into hand-rearing African
cats and other wild animals after being approached by someone in the game
industry in 2009. [MORE PICS INSIDE]
Since then Annel has hand-reared dozens of animals
including six serval kittens, a cheetah cub, five lions, a white lion and a
leopard.
Annel admits she spoilt the first lions she cared for
even more than Timba and would regularly go swimming with them.
even more than Timba and would regularly go swimming with them.
She said: ‘Being the first lions reared on the farm, they
ruled the house, the bed and the couches and would regularly join me for swims
in the farm dam up until they were rather large.
ruled the house, the bed and the couches and would regularly join me for swims
in the farm dam up until they were rather large.
‘While most people are amazed, this has become my life
and part of who I am.
and part of who I am.
‘There
are times when it is difficult to do day-to-day things but I do manage to live
a normal life – well normal for me anyway,’ the owner of an unconventional pet
stated.
are times when it is difficult to do day-to-day things but I do manage to live
a normal life – well normal for me anyway,’ the owner of an unconventional pet
stated.
Find
out out how the lion grew up by seeing the photoset below:
out out how the lion grew up by seeing the photoset below:
