Mowgli girl from the 90s Tippi Degre: who has she become now?

These unique shots in the early 90s put the whole world on the ears. A little white girl fearlessly hugs cheetahs and lions, rides an ostrich and a giant elephant, hugs snakes and feeds parrots from her hand. The photos were clearly not taken in a zoo, but in the wild African savannah. It was there that Tippi Degre spent the first 10 years of her life. How did she get there, and why did she return to Europe? Could the Mowgli girl arrange her life according to new, civilized rules? Read in our material.

The birth of a little "mongoose"

Tippi Degre appeared in a family of unusual people and real fanatics of their craft. Her parents, Frenchmen Alain and Sylvia Degre, made a living from photography. Once they came across an article about the wild animals of West Africa. The publication contained a photo of two cute mongooses: when they saw the picture, the couple became eager to go to this country.

First, Degre went to Africa on an excursion. In the course of the journey, Alain and Sylvia decided that for good shots they need to live here for several years. The eccentric family began with a complete immersion in the wild African nature: photographers settled right in the Kalahari Desert, in a small bungalow far from any civilization.

It was here that the daughter of Sylvia and Alena was born. The girl was named Tippi - in honor of the American actress and animal rights activist Tippi Hedren. The second name of the baby is Okanti. So the tribes of African natives call mongooses, the photo of which became the reason for the Degre family to move to Africa.

It would seem that the appearance of a child should have changed the wild life of Alain and Sylvia. However, Degre was not one of those people who adapt to the circumstances. He decided to stay in the African savanna with a newborn baby. The only thing is that they moved from the Kalahari to Botswana, where the climate is milder and it rains less.

Tippi Degre's Wild Childhood

Since childhood, Tippi did not know what civilization is. While her peers in France "hung out" in cartoons, mastered first gadgets and eating french fries, little Degrè ran across the savannah in only a loincloth, climbed trees, didn't wash her hands, and found playmates among the wild animals.

By the age of three, Tippi knew all the rules of behavior in the animal world. She intuitively understood that you need to communicate with them, looking into their eyes. That they don’t make sudden movements next to predators, and when running away from danger, you can’t turn your back to them. The girl so subtly felt the mood of her wild comrades that she did not receive a single injury in her entire childhood. Sylvia called this instinct fantastic and believed that her daughter understood the language of animals.

Among the child's best friends were the lion Mufasa, whom she met as a lion cub, the chameleon Leon and the leopard Jay. The girl treated the latter as if he were a house cat. Surprisingly, the proud predator meekly allowed the baby to stroke and squeeze him.

But Tippi's most devoted protector was the giant elephant Abu. He kept flies away from the girl when she slept and let her ride on his back.

In addition to wild animals, Tippy was also recognized by wild people. The Degre family lived near the Bushmen tribe, who willingly allowed the daughter of photographers to come to visit them. They taught the white girl the rites and traditions of their tribe, archery, the ability to recognize footprints and the features of survival in the African savannah.

Popularity and difficulties of civilization

As soon as the girl grew up a little, the Degre family left their settled way of life and began to roam around Africa. They were constantly on the move, spending the night in the open air, in tents and huts of local tribes. And wherever Tippi came, she always managed to find a common language with the natives and wild animals.

Parents took unique photos of their daughter in the wild, which blew up the whole world in the late 90s. In 1997, a documentary film called "Tippi from Africa" ​​was shot about the girl. A year later, Degre released a book about their unusual daughter and her incredible childhood. The book about Tippi instantly became a bestseller and scattered in an unprecedented circulation.

However, the baby grew up, and Sylvia and Alain began to think about her future. Africa gave Tippi a happy and carefree childhood, but could not give prospects and successful work. Therefore, Degre returned to France when her daughter was 10 years old. The girl went to a regular school, and a long journey of adaptation to the civilized world began.

This period was very painful for Tippi. She did not like the noise, dirt and bustle of the big city. She was never able to find friends among French children, because she did not understand their interests. Two years later, the parents transferred their daughter to home schooling.

Return to Africa and new life

When Tippi was 14 years old, she managed to return to where she spent her childhood. The Discovery Channel decided to shoot a six-episode program "Around the World with Tippy", in which the girl talked about her past, showed the features of life in wild Africa, and also introduced viewers to the customs and traditions of African aborigines. This project determined the future of the teenager: Tippi decided that she would be engaged in filming, and at the age of 18 she entered the Sorbonne in the documentary film department.

During her studies, Tippi got a job at the famous "Fort Boyard" - where she was the caretaker of tigers and lions, and coped with this task better than many experienced trainers. And after graduating from university, the girl signed a long-term contract with Discovery and is now one of the channel's main consultants for West Africa. She writes books (one of her best known today is Tippi: My Book of Africa), fights for the rights of wild animals and makes films about wildlife. Now she is a self-confident and cheerful woman, but she herself admits that in her soul she still remains a sensitive child-Mowgli.

You will also be interested in reading:

A family in California lived in the company of wild lions and tigers: photos are shocking

TOP-10 places in Kiev and near Kiev where children can communicate with animals