Pictured: Rare images of the beautiful white lions that have gone back to the wild



This beautiful white lion family look as if they were born free to live in the wild.

But they are the first to be released from captivity to live in their natural habitat under a pioneering £2 million conservation project.

Thirty years ago white lions indigenous to the Timbavarti region of South Africa were at risk of being decimated by poachers and were removed for their own protection.

Back to the wild: Two male white lions that form part of a beautiful and rare white lion family roaming free in the the 130,000 acre Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

They were kept in captivity, fed and cared for by keepers. To see a self-sustaining white lion family out in the wild was unheard of.

But the lions have now been reintroduced into their natural habitat and have learned to hunt for themselves and mate in the wild for the first time since the 1970s.

In the Western Cape's 130,000-acre Sanbona Wildlife Reserve the plan is to establish the world's only free-ranging and self-sustaining integrated pride of white and tawny lions.

Hope for the future: Two of the white lion cubs trot through the grass

"Since we released them they have being fending for themselves - it's fantastic," said Paul Vorster, wildlife manager at the reserve.

"The project is an astounding success, an unbelievable achievement.

"There was great concern as to how the lions, especially the females, would fit into their new environment.

"They adapted quickly, however, and worked out the location of optimum resources fairly soon after their release.

"The lions had been completely humanised and relied on us for so many things.

"To see their white offspring fending for themselves, having broken down the dependency and bond between man and lion, is very satisfying.

Company: A male white lion with a young female white lion

"What we are actually doing is securing the white lion gene in a safe natural environment."



The white lion family - including two adult males and two juvenile female lions and five cubs - now roam freely in the semi-arid reserve.

The striking images show the pride living and behaving naturally, bringing hope that these beautiful creatures can sustain themselves in the wild once again.

"In these photos the white lions are showing natural lion behaviour, displaying differing levels of curiosity and we all know how cats are associated with curiosity," Mr Vorster said.

"Another obvious message that comes from the images is the strong bond between members of the pride.

All in the family: A female white lion with two white male cubs

"This is demonstrated by the close proximity of the father to the cubs. These actions are aimed to strengthen this bond.

"In the photos the dominance of the male is obvious. His stately and proud stance staking his claim to his female, his cubs and his territory.

"To watch young lions teasing, stalking and playfully chasing each other in the early morning sun is quite something.

"There is a local belief that the white lions appear in times of great hardship, and they bring good luck with them, which is surely a good omen."

The five-year £2.25 million project has been undertaken by The Mantis Collection - a company which owns a series of hotels and wildlife reserves - to return wildlife to the area.

Africa's lion population has fallen from 100,000 to 25,000 in the last 30 years, according to charity Born Free.