There is a girl whose childhood was vastly different from the norm. Unlike many children who looked like her, this child's life was the opposite of what they are used to. Tippi Degre, who has been dubbed ‘the real-life Mowgli’ was raised with the kind of animals we remember reading about as children in the Jungle Book. She herself has since authored her own autobiography and appeared in documentaries about her childhood. Her childhood adventure has captured the imagination of many.
In June 1990, Namibians Sylvie Robert and Alain Degre became proud parents to a little girl they named Tippi. Sylvie chose her daughter’s name to honor the actress Tippi Hedren, whose best-known role was in the Hitchcock film ‘The Birds’. Tippi’s parents knew that their child would not have a traditional upbringing, but would instead, be raised with the wild animals they lived within Namibia. For the next decade, Tippi’s best friends were leopards and elephants.
Just A Girl In The Wild
Just A Girl In The Wild
Parental Choices
Tippi’s mother, Sylvie, never considered her decision to bring up her daughter in the wild, as anything unusual. In fact, she knew that this kind of life would benefit Tippi’s growth and offer her the freedom of nature not many children have. Sylvie, Robert, and Tippi lived an enchanted life in the wild for the first decade of Tippi’s life together with wild animals and not very many humans. This was a parent's decision that would shape the rest of her life.
Parental Choices
Natural Inclinations
As a toddler, Tippi had to learn very quickly not to let the monkeys snatch her bottle away from her. This was a small kind of confrontation that Tippi would find herself peacefully resolving each time. She also instinctively knew not to make loud noises around feeding elephants. As she told Sylvie often ‘ssh...don’t scare the elephants’. That level of intuition is very unusual in a small child, but thankfully she picked up the warning signs of nature early.
Natural Inclinations
An Intrepid Child
Tippi was never afraid of the large animals she interacted with daily. They were all so much larger than her, but the little girl seemed to have a wordless communication and understanding with them. She regarded them as friends not terrifying creatures. It was almost like both Tippi and the animals around her would automatically foster an instinctual understanding of love and respect. While many of the creatures that she played with were objectively dangerous, they took her into their respective folds happily.
An Intrepid Child
An Apt Student
Tippi was walking at ten months old, which meant she was often with the animals and quickly learned not to let the monkeys take her bottle from her. She was running with the troop when most children are still crawling. What was it about the wild that stimulated this unusual child's development so strongly? Perhaps humans have lost much of their natural growth thanks to urban environments. Either way, Tippi was maturing faster than most.
An Apt Student
An Instinct For Potential Threats
The dangers for a child living amongst wild animals is great. Far more so than the usual dangers that toddlers need to be protected from. Instead of learning road safety, Tippi had to watch for any potential threat from an animal. Her parents taught her very early on, what dangers to look out for in the wild to keep safe. She understood how to read an animal’s body language and demeanor. Despite having this endurance, her parents never let her do other dangerous things.
An Instinct For Potential Threats
Animals Can Be Unpredictable
Tippi had a lion cub friend called Mufasa. There are many photos of the two are playing together and having fun. Over the next year, Mufasa grew into a large lion and on visiting him then, he was obviously glad to see Tippi and rubbed his face against hers. His tail, however, was strong enough to knock her over. Even if Mufasa meant no harm to Tippi, who's to say that the big cat would not accidentally injure Tippi in play? Tippi’s Mom and Dad knew it was time to keep Mufasa away from Tippi.
Animals Can Be Unpredictable
Trust In Her Safety
The parents never once thought their lifestyle was not suitable for a child. They knew that they could provide their children with the opportunity to grow up in nature with animals. This was not some flight of fancy that they had dreamed up. They themselves had lived with meerkats in the Kalahari desert for years before Tippi was born and knew what an amazing gift this life would be for Tippi. They were certain that this was a safe environment for anyone.
Trust In Her Safety
Tippi And Her Elephant Friend
When she was one, Tippi and Abu met for the first time. Although Abu was huge in comparison to the tiny child, Tippi had no fear. She would look into the elephant’s eyes and have a normal kiddy conversation with the animal. It was almost like they could actually communicate, as if Tippi was a tiny Dr. Doolittle. The friendship between the two developed so quickly that her parents were amazed. Their friendship would last for years.
Tippi And Her Elephant Friend
Growing Her Circle Of Friends.
Another friend that Tippi had was a leopard called J&B that had been adopted by a farmer in the area after his mother died in a trap. J&B acted just like a domesticated cat around Tippi but as a wild animal, he never lost his instincts to hunt and kill. One heart-stopping occasion, J&B attacked another child and Tippi stepped in and told him to stop. Unbelievably, J&B did just that and ran off. The other child was saved from a gruesome attack.
Growing Her Circle Of Friends
A Silent Bond with Animals
As she had demonstrated, Tippi had an incredible connection with animals. The girl said she believed all people had a special gift, and this was hers. She could communicate with animals on all levels and this gift led to her developing bonds with many different animals and allowed her parents to document her very special childhood. She seemed to speak all the animals' languages that she encountered, becoming friends with predator and grazer alike over time.
A Silent Bond With Animals
Friends Hug!
Ask any little girl if she would hug a bullfrog and your question will be met with shrieks of horror. Not from Tippi though. She loved all members of the animal kingdom, even if they were yukky and felt weird to touch. Her parents have a fantastic photo of Tippi and her bullfrog friend. Just look how tightly she is hugging the ribbiting fellow! He seems rather uncomfortable, don't you think? But he is holding her back!
Friends Hug!
Hitchhiking Ostrich Style
To an ostrich, a human is a natural predator and they usually keep well away from us. Humans that get too close to ostriches will cause them to run away at high speeds, or turn around and attack with a deadly peck. The Degres family once met a tame ostrich named Linda who lived with her owner on a nearby farm. Tippi really enjoyed riding Linda at high speed with the wind blowing through her hair. It was probably a good thing that ostriches cannot fly!
Hitchhiking Ostrich Style
The Human Indigenous People
As the family traveled throughout Namibia, they met several groups of Bushmen belonging to the Himba Tribe in the Kalahari. Tippi made many friends here as well and they showed her how to gather roots and berries to eat and how to find water in this desert land. As these lessons progressed, Tippi also learned how to speak the Bushman language and how to use the traditional bow and arrow used for hunting. Her parents were working on a project, filming the tribe for a documentary on the San Bushmen of northern Namibia, and often let Tippi spend the day with the tribe. They often returned to find Tippi curled up with the other bushman children fast asleep after a day of play and learning.
The Human Indigenous People
An Honorary Member Of The Tribe
It seemed like Tippi would be a welcome addition to any group, whether human or animal. Whenever the family met a new group of bushmen, Tippi was immediately accepted by the tribe’s children. They loved the way she joked around and her different skin and hair, and would happily adorn her hair with their beautiful beaded pieces. But Tippi's warm receptions would not last forever. It was very different from the reaction Tippi got once the family returned to Europe.
An Honorary Member Of The Tribe
Extensive Travels
One day, Tippi's parents would decide that a special trip was in order. Off the coast of South Africa, are the Seabird Islands. The islands are home to a huge breeding site for coastal birdlife. The family wanted to see the islands and decided to visit them. Even there, Tippi was accepted by the bird colonies. She would run between them, completely at one with the flock. The feathery creatures would happily allow her to enter their breeding grounds.
Extensive Travels
Snake Kisses
Even snakes were not immune to Tippi’s charms. This photo depicts Tippi and her snake friend who is slithering up to her face, to give her a kiss. Most people would be horrified at the thought of this happening to them, but Tippi had no qualms. She would happily allow these slithering reptiles to show their love for her, in ways that most people will never experience or understand. This was a rare relationship indeed.
Snake Kisses
A Lion Sleepover
After a day of play with her lion friends, Tippi would nap with the lion cubs just as another child would nap with a teddy bear. The photo confirms the lion feels just as content and enjoys Tippi being with him at nap time. Only two animals that trusted each other completely could share such a touching experience like siblings would. Many people struggle to even get their house cats to snuggle them in urban areas!
A Lion Sleepover
Zebra Lunch Time
What better way of making friends than sharing your food and juice with them? The general public usually sees Zebras close up in a zoo, but are not permitted to feed them. Tippi had no such restrictions. Here she is making a new friend who seems very interested in the oversized juice bottle. As was the norm, both Tippi and the Zebra are at ease with each other. The skinny young zebra clearly appreciated the meal.
Zebra Lunch Time
A Lift On An Elephant
Riding on elephants was a normal way of traveling for Tippi. This photo is special as it depicts the trusting and loving relationship she and the elephant share. Cradled by the elephant’s trunk, Tippi looks blissful and completely safe. Most children would be happy riding a tricycle, but Tippi made the most out of her wild relationships. Those who have ever been charged by a massive bull elephant would do a double-take seeing this heartwarming scene.
A Lift On An Elephant
Downtime With The Gang
It seems Tippi was a fully integrated member of the elephant herd. Not only did they carry her around, but they took it for granted that she would join them during a bath or cooling downtime in the local water hole. Even Tippi’s excited shrieks and splashing in the water did not bother the herd. Mutual trust is so apparent in this photo. How a creature so small and noisy was taken in by the huge and mostly silent herd is difficult to explain.
Downtime With The Gang
Unique Pals and Gear
From her dress style to her choice of friends, Tippi was very different from other children her age. Dresses were not a part of her wardrobe. She wore animal pelts and loincloths. Instead of carrying a pretty purse, she had a carry bag made from tree bark. Instead of a teddy bear to snuggle with at night, Terri had live lion cubs. As you can see from this photo, she was more than happy with this lifestyle.
Unique Pals And Gear
Monkey Business
Tippi had monkey friends from a very early age. Monkeys are very clever and observing them shows just how close to humans their traits and behavior are. This picture of Tippi with one of her monkey friends shows a very human type interaction, with both touching and holding hands. This was perhaps a closer bond with Tippi's ancient relative, and it is clear that they were realizing their commonalities, hands and fingers being one of the most incredible.
Monkey Business
Turtle Kindergarten
When Tippi was at kindergarten age, her parents homeschooled her. They had a rich environment to draw lessons from. The turtles are an example of how they taught Tippi about patience and never giving up until you reached your goal. They would have had so many other animal kingdom archetypes to demonstrate lessons to teach Terri. As Terri grew up, her parents were proven right when after attending a public school, later on, it became apparent that homeschooling was the right choice for Terri.
Turtle Kindergarten
Loved By Gentle Giants
At eight to thirteen feet tall and weighing up to seven tonnes, the African elephant is huge and often live over seventy years. They travel in herds and Tippi was a member of the herd. We have seen her riding on the elephants and bathing with them, but this photo really reflects the loving bond they shared. Whatever Tippi did, her parents were generally nearby watching her hang out sessions carefully, but they made sure not to disrupt the sentimental scenes.
Loved By Gentle Giants
Photo Op’s
We can see that Tippi has a full portfolio of photographic memories of her unusual childhood. With her parents as on-set photographers, a full record of her early life and experiences with incredible animals do exist. It helps of course that her parents are very good photographers. The picture below looks like something out of a Disney film, but it is so much more wonderful than any kind of fiction. Tippi's life was all completely legitimate.
Photo Ops
On Cloud Nine
It is a sad fact of modern life that many young children only get to see animals in circuses and zoos. In the circus environment, the animals are forced to perform for the public and are often treated badly. They are also often depressed or afraid. Terri never had to force any animal to interact with her. For example, riding elephants was a result of her mental and emotional connection to the animal, not as a result of coercion.
On Cloud Nine
Universal Love
This little girl loved all animals equally. It made no difference to her if they were slippery, slimy or smelly, cute or ugly, big or small. This photo sums this up in one image. You might expect a parent to grab their child from a situation like this, but Tippi’s parents knew this was normal for their child and she was not going to get bitten. Tippi had somehow managed to foster love and affection between what seemed like every creature under the African sun.
Universal Love
Dress Sense
All of the pictures we have seen, show Tippi in very little clothing that suits the environment she grew up in. The heat of Africa’s climate meant she was the most comfortable and cooler in this attire. This was a stark contrast to the Western world, where children running around naked in public would cause a scene and be highly alarming. Having to someday wear jeans and a shirt must have been a huge change for Tippi.
Dress Sense
Unwanted Scrutiny
As a pre-teen, Tippi returned to her childhood home as a participant in a Discovery Channel documentary. Her Mom was thrilled that Tippi had been given this opportunity but Tippi found it difficult to interact with her old animal friends naturally with a camera focused on them the whole time. She found the documentary filming hard work and combined with the heat, she struggled during this time. After the shooting was completed, she was exhausted and demoralized.
Unwanted Scrutiny
Not So Wild After All
Tippi’s parents did admit that during the shooting of the documentary, some of the animals depicted were actually already tame and owned by local farmers in the area. In the desert areas in Africa, there are many farms that are huge, up to twenty thousand hectares. The farmers often rescued and tamed orphan animals on these farms. This was how Tippi was able to interact with them so easily without fear of accident or attack.
Not So Wild After All
A Real Adventurer
Fearless as a small child, Tippi never balked at a meeting or making friends with any animal. She interacted with many different animal species. She would always see the good in that animal regardless of its reputation. This picture shows she has no problem hugging this little critter. Tippi was learning about animals in a way that even the most intrepid zoologists could never hope to achieve. The knowledge that she was gaining was beyond anything that academia could ever hope to learn.
A Real Adventurer
Once Bitten, Never Shy
It is almost unbelievable that Tippi was only ever bitten once during her childhood. Her middle name, Okanti, means mongoose or meerkat. It seems paradoxical that a meerkat bit her on the nose. The only other close call was when a baboon named Cindy pulled out a handful of Tippi’s hair. Sylvie thinks it was jealousy that caused the baboon to do this. You might think that it was incredible that she was never seriously injured by some of the more dangerous animals.
Once Bitten, Never Shy
A Biography
As the public became aware of Tippi’s story, several documentaries were made chronicling her life and experiences in the wild. Le Monde Selon Tippi (The World According to Tippi) was released in 1997, Tippi en Afrique was released in 2002, and Around the World with Tippi was released in 2004 which was comprised of six episodes. All were screened on the Discovery Channel. Millions of people around the world tuned in to see this phenomenal tale of Tippi and her friends.
A Biography
A Change In the Environment
Soon it was time for Tippi to join the society. After a decade in the wild, this was a huge acclamation for her. She and her parents moved to the city and moved into a small apartment. There were no animals, not even a dog as there was no room. Tippi felt she had left an entire continent of Africa for a life bound by metal pillars and cement walls. She could not believe that people chose to live like this.
Change In The Environment
Difficult Acclimatization
Tippi was enrolled in a public school in Paris. After two years of struggling to conform and make friends, Tippi’s parents gave her a budgie as a gift hoping this might cheer her up as she really missed her animals. They also agreed to homeschool her. Tippi’s budgie went everywhere with her even on the Metro. He would fly next to her or sit or her head or even sleep on her shoulder. Without this bird, Tippi would not have been able to go on like this.
Difficult Acclimatization
Namibian Emissary
Today, Tippi feels so grateful for the childhood experiences she had. She has had her own website since she was very young. The website states that she is Namibian and African and proud of it. She fully intends to apply for her Namibian passport when she is older and wants to be an ambassador for Namibia. Hers is truly a real-life Mowgli memoir, and all that this woman wants to do is reclaim the magic of her childhood.
Namibian Emissary
Following In Her Parents’ Footsteps
Once she was fully adjusted, Tippi attended public school and eventually attended university at La Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris. By then, the wild child had largely adapted to the concrete jungle, and was comfortable in this formerly alien environment. She studied film and was last reported as supervising tigers at Fort Boyard, the site of a popular game show. Of course, Tippi's professional life had to involve animals. It would be hard to imagine her doing anything else.
Following In Her Parents’ Footsteps
She Will Forever Miss The Wild
While it was uneasy for her, Tippi understood that the life outside of the jungle is different. She has since made a few trips back. Her first time was to shoot documentaries for the Discovery Channel. She reconnected with the tribespeople as well, on that trip. Incredibly, these people would welcome Tippi back into their circle instantly. You can find out more about her in the various interviews conducted and her book, “Tippi: My Book of Africa.”
She Will Forever Miss The Wild
She’s Not The Only One
During the last decade, other several children raised by animals. For example, Marina Chapman was believed to have been abducted and then abandoned. For 5 years, she lived with a group of capuchin monkeys. The monkeys taught Marina how to catch birds and rabbits for food. A young Chilean boy was found amongst a pack of dogs in 2001. He had been living with them for two years. Authorities say the dogs protected him and taught him how to scrounge for food.
She Is Not The Only One