King of the Jungle – No Fear for Lion Whisperer
Welcome back!
There are lion tamers, and then there are lion tamers. Animal behaviorist Kevin Richardson has such an incredible gift with wild animals that he can spend the night curled up with lions without trepidation or fear of being attacked. Cheetahs, leopards and hyenas hold no threat to him.
Richardson is based in a wildlife conservation area near Johannesburg in South Africa, where he works his unusual gift with wild animals.
Animal behaviorists typically study the behavior of social groups of animals and the social structure within them. Kevin is so instinctively in tune with these beasts that volatile mother hyenas even allow him to hold their newborn cubs without leaping to the rescue in attack.
But lions are his favorite. He lavishes them with unconditional love, he says, treating each individual differently, speaking to them, caressing them, and above all, treating them with respect, reports Daily Mail.
Females Meg and Amy see Kevin as one of their own.
Kevin Richardson was a former student of human physiology, working with pre and post-operative human patients. Some people have the ability to connect with beasts and animals better than they do with humans. Kevin turned to animals ten years ago when he decided that he could trust a lion over human beings.
After a close encounter with an aggressive 4-year-old male in his early days, he learned a lesson he would never forget. The animal pinned him to the ground and started biting him until Kevin’s instinct to display passive behavior stopped the lion in its tracks.
Kevin plays with Tau and Napoleon, 2 adult brother lions.
Cooperative behavior in wild animals is often limited to kin and reciprocating partners, and is rarely extended to unfamiliar individuals. Kevin says he is most confident with animals he has known since birth, but claims he can become close friends with any lion less than a year old, when it’s still flexible enough to accept him as part of its own pride.
“I have to rely on my own instincts to gauge an animal or a situation, and I will not approach a creature if something doesn’t feel right.” he says.
Cuddles and love bites are all part of ‘play’ fighting.
Many modern animal trainers use positive reinforcement — following a desired behavior with something worthwhile to the animal and the behavior will increase — and negative punishment — withdrawing something the animal wants when he performs undesirable behaviors.
Kevin states, “I don’t use sticks, whips or chains, just patience. It may be dangerous, but this is a passion for me, not a job.”
Tags:animal animal behaviorist animals behavior bizarre Kevin Richardson lion lions odd tamer unusual whisperer Wild
I love this man!
This troubles me. I’ve seen the movie Born Free a gazillion times. As I recall, both Joy Adamson and her husband, were eventually mauled to death by lions, and they deeply loved cats.
They are my favorite animal as well. It’s hard to believe they can easily be killers.
Roy Horn of Ziegfried and Roy loves his cats so much that he doesn’t blame his cat that severely disabled him. I understand that the cat probably didn’t mean to hurt him.
These animal lovers seem to live and die the same way. You gotta love someone who has such an affinity for animals, especially the big cats.
Marsha, that was the first thing that I thought of as I was reading your comment, was Ziegfreid and Roy.
Even Kevin Richardson admits that it’s dangerous, but they’re his passion.
The fable of the frog and the scorpion is a perfect example, for which the frog allows the scorpion to ride on its back across the river, promising the frog that it wouldn’t sting him.
When the scorpion stings the frog, the frog asked why he would sting him, now they would surely both die, the scorpion answered ‘I couldn’t help it, it’s in my nature’.
pretty amazing and not something I thought was possible. Nice to learn this. Thanks
Obviously a passion with Richardson…….and positive reinforcement will always win over fear and bullying…..interesting to note that he used passive behaviour as well when he was attacked……a courageous man indeed……
Jack Hanna once said, “A wild animal is like a loaded gun — it can go off at any time.” Roy Horn, Steve Erwin, Timothy Treadwell and girlfriend Amie Huguenard come to mind – just to name a few. Just as long as the animals are not put-down when a human is interacting with them, bothering them in their habitat and is killed by the animal.
Catherine, the redhead
Well said Catherine, an excellent point.
WOW and No Way!!!! Speachless.
Hi Debo, good to see you here!
I feel like I’m addressing myself, I’m so used to seeing Debo, haha!
Here Kitty Kitty kitty Here Kitty kitty kitty lmao
ps Deb now tell me how do I add a comment section like this to my blog please help a “broke ass blogger” will ya?
wooohooo
HB
Christina, I don’t think you’re going to want to call THESE cats to you
I sent you an email about comments
If you need more help let me know.
Amazing and thought provoking in terms of how wildlife and humans can co-exist if respect and understanding are present.
That’s exactly it Jackal, respect and desire to understand.
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I trained lions, tigers, and bears…(go ahead, say it!) You can find me at my pro website, too.
That had to be incredibly exciting! Most of us can only dream of a life like that
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Anyone knows the web address of the place where Kevin is working in Africa?
I will appreciate reply
RESPECT!
I thruly admire and respect you! It’s fantastic thing to find this Gift in yourself and use it in correct way. I wish eveyrone could love or at least respect animals as u do. I wish you many students, who will learn great lessons of their lives from the best animal behaviorist ever- from King of the Jungle!
Elizabeth, I had a very difficult time finding out any additional information on Kevin Richardson. In fact, I couldn’t find anything and I searched for hours at the time.
The documentation didn’t as much as provide the name of the conservation in Africa.
Kasia, Kevin is truly gifted
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Wonderful, I wish all the world could learn how to live together in peace, humans with all animals. The animals deserve respect as does the planet and all on it. Congrats Kevin what a wonderful job you are doing please let us all know what we can do to help. Your park will go on my site as places to experience at least once in your lifetime if not more and I hope to one day come a volunteer myself.
I wouldn’t do this without first praying either, Alexis, but then I wouldn’t actually have the courage to attempt it in the first place
He truly does have a gift.
Wow! God has blessed him with a talent and God will protect him through out his studies. We need more people like him to help at the zoos when crazy people think they can jump in to the cages to get better picters. This is one job you would not want to do with out praying.
God bless you
I cant beleive this man what if these lions become used to humans number one making them easier targets for poachers and two making them comftorable to venture into human villages where they will be killed. Why is this man going around taming wild lions he should be helping abused lions that were used in circuses and zoos.
It is a wonderful option of life !
many people dont know this but if you want any animal to be calm and comfortable around you then you must try to eminate a kind of aura which basically says “i come in peace” for some people who have had a bad life and even if you have had a good life it is harder to do so because if you even think about touching the animal it will attack and or run away. and yes Lions are my favorite animals.
for kevin he has a gift at doing so even if he doesn’t know what to call it.
…….! It is great I want to do this same you.
but it impossible. I want more picture please sent to Para_zzz@hotmail.com
I love this soo much
I wish I could do the same
Lions are my favorite creatures
If I cant do what he does then I want to
marry him =]
GRANDIOSO!!!! Che le forze dell’UNIVERSO siano sempre con te!!!E’ bellissimo e NECESSARIO essere utili in questa vita…per nostra MADRE TERRA aiutando i nostri FRATELLI ANIMALI!!! LOVE Laura
…..GRANDIOSO!!!!! che le forze dell’UNIVERSO ti proteggano sempre!! E’ bellissimo…e NECESSARIO…essere utili in questa vita,per NOSTRA MADRE TERRA,per i nostri FRATELLI ANIMALI!!! LOVE Laura
I LOVE YOU KEVIN!!!!!!
dios quiera y yo
llege a sar asi
amo a los leones
TLK_Fan
Lion love.!
I want to do what he does. I want to know where and for what did he go to school for? What did he study? Zoology? Animal Behavior?
wow he sure knows how to treat nature. I love a person who respects nature and it’s life
I would love to do what he does for a living!!! I am in school right now, but don’t know what type of degree to get to do this type of work. Any suggestions are appreciated.
sbalordita, incredula, esterrefatta, felice, finalmente inorgoglita , curiosa, ed eccezionalmente sorpresa.
ti prego continua a farlo per chi purtroppo non sa di poterlo fare.
he just dne wat i jst do……….
ok
i admire that man………
perfmng lke sch hrd tsk is rely risky one………
In my opinion ‘Kevin Richardson’ has given the message of LOVE. Is this not a lesson for us. A dangerous animal can understand the love of a man. Why we hate each other being the members of a civil society and don’t create love and don’t try to understand love.
truelove_4true_one@hotmail.com
Marsha I checked and it turns out Joy and George were actually killed by poachers not LIONs as reported but your point is very valid.