Johannesburg - Mystical, wild white lions roam freely throughout the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve and the Timbavati Game Reserve; reserves which make up the Greater Kruger Area.
There are two white lionesses from the Giraffe pride of lions who will, on occasion, make a public appearance for guests and game rangers. It is a rare privilege and honour to see these two lionesses traversing untamed, pristine wilderness.
Finding yourself in a white lion sighting is a moment that stands still and you’ll feel a spiritual shift between you and the earth’s elements. A moment to be revered, documented and shared.
Seeing a white lion in the wild bears significant meaning according to ancient African folklore. It is believed that the white lions were sent to the earth as gifts and will bring joy to all who see them. Guests at nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot in the Klaserie have been in the enviable position of seeing wild white lions on many different occasions.
Where do white lions come from?
Both tawny and white lions carry a recessive gene that, when it mutates, white lions are born. In a litter of cubs born from parents carrying the gene, you will find a combination of white and tawny cubs. Although the cubs are genetically predisposed, it does not mean the gene will mutate in every cub. Contrary to popular belief, white lions are NOT albino but are leucistic. This means they do have pigmentation, which is present in their paw pads and colour of their lips. They also have a characteristic blue or gold colouring in their eyes.
Why the Klaserie Private Nature Reserve for white lion sightings?
The Klaserie is peppered with Marula trees, Acacia trees and Mopane woodlands, which creates the ideal environment and diverse habitat for lion prides who have no problem sourcing “den” sites for their cubs. In conjunction with the vegetation, there are numerous waterholes littering the landscape, which means ample water sources for our majestic Panthera leo species.
The Klaserie shares unfenced borders with the Timbavati Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park, which has opened up new territory for lions to explore. Much history of the white lions of the Timbavati has been documented, and since the fences between the Timbavati and Klaserie were dropped, the Klaserie camps have been in the enviable position of also being able to spot the white lions as they traverse between territories. In particular, two females from the Giraffe pride are seen around the nThambo Tree Camp and Africa on Foot game drives.
The Klaserie is alive with lion activity. One of the Trilogy males, part of a coalition of 3 lions who dominate the Africa on Foot and nThambo Tree Camp traverse, is believed to carry the white lion gene. At the beginning of the year he was caught mating with the white lions. We are hoping to see white lion cubs in the near future. It most certainly is on the cards !
“Seeing white lions in the wild has definitely been one of my highlights since I've been in the bush. The first sighting I had of them was when I was about 15 years old. I was with my brother and 2 of my friends, on a night drive and not long after we left the camp, we bumped into the Giraffe pride, 16 females in total and 2 white lionesses amongst them . After following them for quite some time under a full moon, they took down a female kudu, with so many lions around, it was over in seconds but the memories still remain. Being fortunate to now work in the area where they naturally occur has led to more incredible sightings of these extremely rare lions. Knowing that there are so few in the wild, makes the sighting that much more spectacular. Each sighting I've had of them I can still remember it as if it were yesterday.” - Kevin MacLaughlin, ranger turned wildlife photographer.
Stay at the eco-friendly nThambo Tree Camp, or enjoy a professional walking safari at Africa on Foot and hopefully you’ll see one of the Africa’s precious gifts - the white lion.
For all reservation enquiries, please contact Sun Destinations by telephone on +27(0)21 421 8433 or email: reservations@sundestinations.co.za