Timba’s early life was filled with uncertainty, confusion, and hardship. Born into captivity, he was removed from his mother far too soon and passed between multiple private owners during the first fragile year of his life. Each home saw him as a novelty—a pet, something exotic to admire—but none could meet his complex needs as a young lion. Without consistent care or proper nutrition, his development suffered, both physically and emotionally.

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Eventually, Timba found himself at a hunting facility, a deeply unsuitable and dangerous environment for any animal, especially one so young and unprepared. He was initially kept in a garden near the house—separated from others, confused and alone. But his situation worsened drastically when he was thrown into a camp with fully grown adult lions. Terrified and defenseless. It’s a miracle he lived through it at all.

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A local woman stepped in, recognizing the critical state he was in and the urgency of his need for proper care. She purchased Timba and arranged for his transfer to us. When he arrived, he was traumatized, malnourished, and in desperate need of physical and emotional rehabilitation