294:, which revealed that the Lion Park in Lanseria bred lions to ensure a supply of cubs year-round. When the lions reached maturity, they were shipped out to canned hunting operations because they were too dangerous to be near tourists. The Lion park has been criticised for allowing lion petting and for supplying lions to the canned lion industry. He has also been criticised by many in the conservation community, members of whom state that experiences which expressly bring people and lions together on "walks" are risky because of the unpredictable nature of the wild animals. Richardson's role as a conservationist was also questioned with experts stating that more care was needed in private reserves to ensure they mirror what has been developed in national parks. Conservationists Luke T.B. Hunter, Paula White, Philipp Henschel, and Laurence Frank, in a 2012 article titled "Walking with lions: why there is no role for captive-origin lions
33:
593:
624:, about a young white lion, "Letsatsi," who survives against all odds. This film is the first to star native lions instead of the regularly imported ones. Rodney Fuhr and his wife, Ilana, independently funded the movie and served as executive producers. The film was shot at the Kingdom of the White Lion, SA Lion Park, Nash's farm, Glen Afric, and
272:
following in his footsteps, however. All the pictures of his adventures do not portray his years of experience and bonding. "People like to take things out of context. They don't know the relationship I have with this lion." As a rule, Richardson only interacts with lions he has been with since their birth.
271:
Richardson has been scratched, punctured, and bitten but is not dissuaded by these dangers. In an interview, he mentions, "Obviously one realizes the danger when working with animals of this caliber, I've weighed the pros and I've weighed the cons, and the pros far outweigh the cons." He warns about
315:
for some 2 kilometres (1.2 mi), whereupon the lioness assaulted the day visitor to the reserve. Wildlife biologist Luke Dollar responded to the killing in an article by
National Geographic, stating that "behaviors and programs that skirt the reality of our place in the food chain seem to be an
259:, and hyenas. He prefers lions to any other big cat. His relationship with the animals, however, has not been an instant one. He has known all of the lions he works with since they were cubs. He still continues his bond with Tau and Napoleon, the lion brothers who were his introduction to big cats.
262:
Despite his prior involvement in lion cub petting, Richardson rejects the traditional notion that lions should be mastered and dominated, preferring to develop a relationship over time, based on love and respect. "A lion is not a possession; it's a sentient being, so you must pay attention and
200:
cubs, Tau and
Napoleon which he later rescued. His early years took place at the Lion Park near the outskirts of his home in Johannesburg. He still runs with the now full grown cubs in the wild. The facility owner, Rodney Fuhr, started him off with a part-time job at the Lion Park.
164:. Kevin Richardson is the youngest of four children: he has an older brother and two sisters who are twins. His father died when Richardson was thirteen years old. When he was about sixteen, he met Stan Schmidt and began his career as a "self-taught behaviourist."
298:
in species restoration", concluded that parks in Africa with plans to reintroduce lions into the wild including
Richardson's had yet to do so as of 2013 and found little of conservation value that justifies the use of captive-origin lions for reintroduction.
229:. Richardson cares for thirty-nine lions at this facility. As of 2011 the facility was private, but there were plans to open it to the public. The sanctuary's Web site said in 2020 that it was open for guided group tours and had a volunteering program.
204:
Richardson and his team work with animals for the commercial filming industry and make documentaries to generate income to fund the facility. They also have a volunteer programme which generates income, and volunteers who help to run the sanctuary.
612:
is a documentary in which
Richardson sets out to change the misconception of the hyena as a feared and loathed scavenger. Richardson's work in the Okavango Delta and Lydenberg had brought forth the documentary concerning black leopards entitled
829:
1130:
275:
Richardson also differentiates his work from that of zoologists interacting with completely wild animals they have not raised, or that of trainers whose animals are required to perform on stage day after day.
837:
600:
Richardson has been featured in many documentaries, movies, and commercials. It was during his stint at the Lion Park that
Michael Rosenberg decided to use Richardson in documentaries such as
1140:
180:
instead of mammals. As an adult, Richardson believed that he would never have a career working with animals and that it would remain a hobby of his. He started taking courses in
692:
917:
859:
726:
116:(born 8 October 1974), known as "The Lion Whisperer", is a South African YouTube personality, wildlife conservationist and self-taught sanctuary owner who works with
1043:
804:
241:
1340:
1001:
774:
217:, a town 35 miles north of his hometown, Johannesburg, in South Africa. Whilst primarily specializing in lions, he has also interacted with
1325:
1193:
617:. Because of the frequency of filming, Richardson moved all of the animals to one facility at the Kingdom of the White Lion property.
225:. The park, which was set up with the help of Rodney Fuhr, is 800 hectares (2,000 acres) and was built for the set of the 2010 movie
1330:
1079:
700:
943:
664:
890:
921:
863:
1221:
734:
1071:
62:
156:
and was also born in South Africa. Richardson's father, who worked for a pharmaceutical company, was born in the
252:
1027:
Crerar, Simon (12 April 2013). "Kev takes pride being mane man - Amazing photos give you paws for thought".
232:
In 2015 the Kevin
Richardson Wildlife Sanctuary relocated to Welgedacht Private Game Reserve near Pretoria.
1320:
1101:
643:
625:
308:
197:
196:. When he was twenty-three, he had the opportunity to work as a handler and cared for two six-month-old
193:
149:
1005:
32:
1315:
1246:
1198:
1335:
1135:
189:
161:
592:
311:
by a lioness that was under his care. Richardson lost track of the lioness when she pursued an
770:
630:
240:
284:
Richardson worked as a lion handler for the lion park that featured in a 2014 segment of the
830:"The Lion Whisperer: Kevin Richardson plays with white lions at a game park in South Africa"
177:
157:
628:. The South African-based company Peru Productions Pty. Ltd.'s first feature film was
1309:
1162:
976:
951:
222:
214:
153:
129:
125:
121:
117:
894:
1268:
145:
141:
290:
181:
148:, on the 8th of October, 1974. He spent his childhood in the neighbourhood of
796:
251:
He has slept next to, fed, and lived with lions. He has also worked with
1222:"Lion mauls woman to death at popular South African wildlife sanctuary"
256:
185:
173:
1044:"Meet The Lion Whisperer, the animal behaviourist reinventing zoology"
312:
38:
1163:"Walking with lions: why there is no role for captive-origin lions
213:
Richardson worked within a 650 hectares (1,600 acres) Lion Park in
1298:
591:
239:
218:
98:
245:
1131:"Fatal Lion Mauling Highlights Controversy of Private Reserves"
1225:
1194:"Lion kills woman at refuge of South African 'lion whisperer'"
285:
699:. SA Career Focus Magazine. February 2009. Archived from
836:. London: The Telegraph. 15 October 2010. Archived from
421:
Part of the Pride: My Life Among the Big Cats of Africa
307:
On 27 February a young woman was mauled to death in the
176:, but quit following two years of repetitive lessons on
767:
Part of the Pride: My Life Among the Big Cats of Africa
140:
Kevin
Richardson was born in the Nightingale Clinic in
1125:
1123:
93:
85:
77:
69:
45:
23:
1102:"Lion Park reintroduces controversial cub petting"
797:"Big cats purr like kittens for 'Lion Whisperer'"
944:"Can we see Kevin interacting with the animals?"
263:develop your bond like with any relationship."
720:
718:
8:
971:
969:
885:
883:
881:
824:
822:
760:
758:
756:
754:
752:
1269:"White Lion (2010) - Full Cast & Crew"
733:. Motivators International. Archived from
687:
685:
516:GoPro: Lions - The New Endangered Species?
323:
31:
20:
620:Richardson produced the 2010 documentary
790:
788:
786:
665:"What Makes the 'Lion Whisperer' Roar?"
655:
172:Richardson went to college and studied
1066:
1064:
807:from the original on 26 September 2012
1072:"Lion Park's canned hunting 'exposé'"
1002:"The Lion Whisperer Kevin Richardson"
918:"The Lion Whisperer Kevin Richardson"
860:"The Lion Whisperer Kevin Richardson"
7:
1108:. Johannesburg: enca. 16 August 2016
693:"Reach for a Star: Kevin Richardson"
188:in college and started a career in
152:. His mother, Patricia, worked for
1247:"Animal Planet - Growing up Hyena"
14:
37:Kevin Richardson submitting to a
16:South African animal behaviourist
1192:Torchia, C. (28 February 2018).
1042:Crerar, Simon (13 April 2013).
482:2 x 53 Minutes + 1 x 90 Minutes
160:and moved to South Africa from
1341:South African conservationists
1139:. 2 March 2018. Archived from
1:
1220:Feingold, S. (2 March 2018).
622:White Lion: Home is a Journey
402:White Lion: Home is a Journey
316:accident waiting to happen."
1029:The Courier Mail (Australia)
891:"About the White Lion Movie"
596:Kevin Richardson with hyenas
663:Orlean, Susan (June 2015).
564:nWave Pictures Distribution
488:Terra Mater Factual Studios
1357:
1326:White South African people
535:Killer IQ – Lion vs Hyena
303:February 2018 fatal attack
63:Johannesburg, South Africa
765:Kevin Richardson (2009).
731:Speaker: Kevin Richardson
368:Part of Growing Up Series
30:
1331:People from Johannesburg
977:"The Wildlife Sanctuary"
920:. Zimbio. Archived from
862:. Zimbio. Archived from
1167:in species restoration"
801:Today: Pets and Animals
450:Nationwide Distributors
769:. St. Martin's Press.
597:
459:The Lion Ranger Series
440:Lights, Camera, Lions!
248:
244:Kevin Richardson with
644:Wildlife conservation
626:Entabeni Game Reserve
615:In Search of a Legend
606:In Search of a Legend
595:
383:In Search of a Legend
309:Dinokeng Game Reserve
243:
194:exercise physiologist
114:Kevin Rene Richardson
1199:The Washington Times
1076:The Lion Park expose
602:Dangerous Companions
469:Renegade Productions
377:5 August 2008 (DVD)
345:Dangerous Companions
81:"The Lion Whisperer"
1136:National Geographic
703:on 22 December 2015
583:Smithsonian Channel
545:Smithsonian Channel
190:exercise physiology
1008:on 14 October 2009
981:The Lion Whisperer
954:on 16 January 2011
840:on 18 October 2010
834:The Lion Whisperer
598:
573:Predator Road Trip
431:St. Martin's Press
336:Produced/Published
320:Works/publications
249:
162:Reading, Berkshire
924:on 22 August 2011
866:on 22 August 2011
776:978-0-312-55674-7
737:on 9 October 2011
590:
589:
497:African Safari 3D
478:Lions on the Move
434:1 September 2009
415:19 February 2010
393:Graham Wallington
111:
110:
1348:
1302:
1301:
1299:Official website
1284:
1283:
1281:
1279:
1265:
1259:
1258:
1256:
1254:
1243:
1237:
1236:
1234:
1232:
1217:
1211:
1210:
1208:
1206:
1189:
1183:
1182:
1180:
1178:
1173:. 1 January 2013
1171:researchgate.net
1159:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1148:
1127:
1118:
1117:
1115:
1113:
1098:
1092:
1091:
1089:
1087:
1082:. 19 August 2016
1078:. Johannesburg:
1068:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1054:
1039:
1033:
1032:
1024:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1013:
1004:. Archived from
998:
992:
991:
989:
987:
973:
964:
963:
961:
959:
950:. Archived from
940:
934:
933:
931:
929:
913:
907:
906:
904:
902:
897:on 27 April 2011
893:. Archived from
887:
876:
875:
873:
871:
856:
850:
849:
847:
845:
826:
817:
816:
814:
812:
792:
781:
780:
762:
747:
746:
744:
742:
722:
713:
712:
710:
708:
697:Reach for a Star
689:
680:
679:
677:
675:
660:
610:Growing Up Hyena
428:Kevin Richardson
412:Peru Productions
364:Growing Up Hyena
324:
107:
104:
102:
100:
78:Other names
59:
55:
53:
35:
25:Kevin Richardson
21:
1356:
1355:
1351:
1350:
1349:
1347:
1346:
1345:
1306:
1305:
1297:
1296:
1293:
1288:
1287:
1277:
1275:
1267:
1266:
1262:
1252:
1250:
1249:. Animal Planet
1245:
1244:
1240:
1230:
1228:
1219:
1218:
1214:
1204:
1202:
1191:
1190:
1186:
1176:
1174:
1161:
1160:
1156:
1146:
1144:
1143:on 2 March 2018
1129:
1128:
1121:
1111:
1109:
1100:
1099:
1095:
1085:
1083:
1070:
1069:
1062:
1052:
1050:
1041:
1040:
1036:
1026:
1025:
1021:
1011:
1009:
1000:
999:
995:
985:
983:
975:
974:
967:
957:
955:
942:
941:
937:
927:
925:
915:
914:
910:
900:
898:
889:
888:
879:
869:
867:
858:
857:
853:
843:
841:
828:
827:
820:
810:
808:
795:Celizic, Mike.
794:
793:
784:
777:
764:
763:
750:
740:
738:
727:"Kevin's Youth"
724:
723:
716:
706:
704:
691:
690:
683:
673:
671:
662:
661:
657:
652:
640:
501:1 Hr 25 Minutes
322:
305:
282:
269:
238:
211:
170:
138:
97:
89:Sanctuary owner
65:
60:
57:
51:
49:
41:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1354:
1352:
1344:
1343:
1338:
1333:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1308:
1307:
1304:
1303:
1292:
1291:External links
1289:
1286:
1285:
1260:
1238:
1212:
1184:
1154:
1119:
1093:
1060:
1034:
1019:
993:
965:
935:
908:
877:
851:
818:
782:
775:
748:
714:
681:
654:
653:
651:
648:
647:
646:
639:
636:
588:
587:
584:
581:
578:
575:
569:
568:
565:
562:
559:
556:
550:
549:
546:
543:
540:
539:2 x 46 Minutes
537:
531:
530:
529:November 2013
527:
524:
521:
518:
512:
511:
508:
505:
502:
499:
493:
492:
489:
486:
483:
480:
474:
473:
470:
467:
464:
463:3 x 60 Minutes
461:
455:
454:
451:
448:
445:
442:
436:
435:
432:
429:
426:
423:
417:
416:
413:
410:
407:
404:
398:
397:
394:
391:
388:
385:
379:
378:
375:
372:
371:Spotted hyenas
369:
366:
360:
359:
356:
353:
350:
347:
341:
340:
337:
334:
331:
328:
321:
318:
304:
301:
281:
278:
268:
265:
237:
234:
223:black panthers
210:
207:
192:and became an
178:marine biology
169:
166:
158:United Kingdom
137:
134:
130:striped hyenas
126:spotted hyenas
122:black leopards
109:
108:
101:.lionwhisperer
95:
91:
90:
87:
83:
82:
79:
75:
74:
71:
67:
66:
61:
56:8 October 1974
47:
43:
42:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1353:
1342:
1339:
1337:
1334:
1332:
1329:
1327:
1324:
1322:
1321:Living people
1319:
1317:
1314:
1313:
1311:
1300:
1295:
1294:
1290:
1274:
1270:
1264:
1261:
1248:
1242:
1239:
1227:
1223:
1216:
1213:
1201:
1200:
1195:
1188:
1185:
1172:
1168:
1166:
1158:
1155:
1142:
1138:
1137:
1132:
1126:
1124:
1120:
1107:
1106:The Lion Park
1103:
1097:
1094:
1081:
1077:
1073:
1067:
1065:
1061:
1049:
1045:
1038:
1035:
1031:. p. 23.
1030:
1023:
1020:
1007:
1003:
997:
994:
982:
978:
972:
970:
966:
953:
949:
945:
939:
936:
923:
919:
912:
909:
896:
892:
886:
884:
882:
878:
865:
861:
855:
852:
839:
835:
831:
825:
823:
819:
806:
802:
798:
791:
789:
787:
783:
778:
772:
768:
761:
759:
757:
755:
753:
749:
736:
732:
728:
725:Caskie, Rob.
721:
719:
715:
702:
698:
694:
688:
686:
682:
670:
666:
659:
656:
649:
645:
642:
641:
637:
635:
633:
632:
627:
623:
618:
616:
611:
607:
603:
594:
585:
582:
579:
576:
574:
571:
570:
566:
563:
560:
557:
555:
552:
551:
547:
544:
542:Lions, Hyenas
541:
538:
536:
533:
532:
528:
525:
523:Lions, Hyenas
522:
519:
517:
514:
513:
509:
506:
503:
500:
498:
495:
494:
490:
487:
484:
481:
479:
476:
475:
471:
468:
465:
462:
460:
457:
456:
452:
449:
446:
443:
441:
438:
437:
433:
430:
427:
424:
422:
419:
418:
414:
411:
408:
405:
403:
400:
399:
395:
392:
390:Black leopard
389:
386:
384:
381:
380:
376:
374:Animal Planet
373:
370:
367:
365:
362:
361:
357:
354:
351:
348:
346:
343:
342:
339:Release Date
338:
335:
332:
330:Minutes/Pages
329:
326:
325:
319:
317:
314:
310:
302:
300:
297:
293:
292:
287:
279:
277:
273:
266:
264:
260:
258:
254:
247:
242:
235:
233:
230:
228:
224:
220:
216:
215:Broederstroom
208:
206:
202:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
167:
165:
163:
159:
155:
154:Barclays Bank
151:
147:
143:
135:
133:
131:
127:
123:
119:
118:African lions
115:
106:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
73:South African
72:
68:
64:
58:(age 49)
48:
44:
40:
34:
29:
22:
19:
1276:. Retrieved
1272:
1263:
1251:. Retrieved
1241:
1229:. Retrieved
1215:
1203:. Retrieved
1197:
1187:
1175:. Retrieved
1170:
1165:Panthera leo
1164:
1157:
1145:. Retrieved
1141:the original
1134:
1110:. Retrieved
1105:
1096:
1084:. Retrieved
1075:
1051:. Retrieved
1047:
1037:
1028:
1022:
1010:. Retrieved
1006:the original
996:
984:. Retrieved
980:
956:. Retrieved
952:the original
947:
938:
926:. Retrieved
922:the original
911:
899:. Retrieved
895:the original
868:. Retrieved
864:the original
854:
842:. Retrieved
838:the original
833:
809:. Retrieved
800:
766:
739:. Retrieved
735:the original
730:
705:. Retrieved
701:the original
696:
672:. Retrieved
668:
658:
629:
621:
619:
614:
609:
605:
601:
599:
572:
554:Wild Cats 3D
553:
534:
515:
496:
477:
458:
439:
420:
401:
382:
363:
344:
306:
296:Panthera leo
295:
289:
283:
274:
270:
261:
250:
231:
226:
212:
203:
171:
150:Orange Grove
146:South Africa
142:Johannesburg
139:
113:
112:
18:
1316:1974 births
1048:News.com.au
916:flashnews.
669:Smithsonian
507:StudioCanal
472:March 2010
280:Controversy
70:Nationality
1336:Zookeepers
1310:Categories
1253:26 January
1012:26 January
958:26 January
928:26 January
901:26 January
870:26 January
844:26 January
811:26 January
741:26 January
707:26 January
650:References
631:White Lion
577:2 Episodes
558:39 Minutes
520:14 Minutes
444:52 Minutes
409:White lion
406:88 Minutes
387:52 Minutes
349:52 Minutes
291:60 Minutes
227:White Lion
209:Facilities
182:physiology
136:Early life
86:Occupation
52:1974-10-08
803:. MSNBC.
425:256 Pages
236:Lion care
1278:2 August
1205:15 April
986:2 August
805:Archived
638:See also
396:Unknown
333:Features
288:program
257:leopards
253:cheetahs
1231:2 March
1177:3 March
1147:3 March
1112:3 March
1086:3 March
1053:10 July
674:2 March
580:Various
561:Various
504:Various
485:Various
466:Various
355:Unknown
267:Dangers
186:anatomy
174:zoology
94:Website
773:
313:impala
219:hyenas
168:Career
39:jaguar
586:2016
567:2015
548:2014
526:GoPro
510:2013
491:2012
453:2010
447:Lions
358:2005
352:Lions
327:Title
246:lions
1280:2020
1273:IMDb
1255:2011
1233:2018
1207:2021
1179:2018
1149:2018
1114:2018
1088:2018
1055:2013
1014:2011
988:2020
960:2011
930:2011
903:2011
872:2011
846:2011
813:2011
771:ISBN
743:2011
709:2011
676:2016
604:and
221:and
198:lion
184:and
128:and
46:Born
1226:CNN
1080:IOL
948:FAQ
286:CBS
105:.za
103:.co
99:www
1312::
1271:.
1224:.
1196:.
1169:.
1133:.
1122:^
1104:.
1074:.
1063:^
1046:.
979:.
968:^
946:.
880:^
832:.
821:^
799:.
785:^
751:^
729:.
717:^
695:.
684:^
667:.
634:.
608:.
255:,
144:,
132:.
124:,
120:,
54:)
1282:.
1257:.
1235:.
1209:.
1181:.
1151:.
1116:.
1090:.
1057:.
1016:.
990:.
962:.
932:.
905:.
874:.
848:.
815:.
779:.
745:.
711:.
678:.
50:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
