A Not-So-Ordinary Childhood
Tippi was born in June 1990, in Namibia. Her parents, Sylvie Robert and Alain Degré were French photographers and filmmakers. They always knew they didn’t want an ordinary childhood for their child. Hence chose to raise her amongst African animals.
A Not So Ordinary Childhood
Her Name-Sake
Tippi was named after American actress, Tippi Hedren. She was known for her role in the film ‘The Birds’, by Alfred Hitchcock and was also an animal activist. The couple admired her and decided to name their baby girl after her.
Her Name Sake
Living In The Wild
Tippi’s parents never regretted their decision to raise their daughter in the African wild. In the area where they lived, there were very few humans around. They lived totally in the wild from the time Tippi was born until she was 10 years old.
Living In The Wild
One Lucky Girl
In an interview with The Telegraph, Tippi’s mom, Sylvie told the reporter that it was magical being able to live freely in nature. She believes that Tippi is one lucky girl to have had the chance to experience nature that way.
One Lucky Girl
Different Challenges
Sylvie also shared in her interview that Tippi’s challenges as a toddler were uniquely different. She had to make sure that monkeys didn’t steal her bottle. As little as she was, she knew that she couldn’t leave her bottle lying around.
Different Challenges
Instincts From A Young Age
She was always concerned with not disturbing or even frightening the animals as they graze. She seemed to have a natural instinct about animals and their needs from a very young age, which is not usually the case with many infants.
Instincts From A Young Age
No Fear
Tippi’s parents had noticed from early on that by always being surrounded by wild animals, Tippi was fearless. She wasn’t afraid of any animal, big or small. She interacted with these wild creatures as a child would with a domestic pet.
No Fear
Natural Connection
It was as if she had a natural connection to wild animals. She felt like she was the same size as her animal friends. She used her vivid imagination and believed that these enormous and ferocious creatures were her best friends.
Natural Connection
Reaching Milestones
Some could say that because of her surroundings she might not reach her milestones at an appropriate age, but they couldn’t be more wrong. On the contrary, Tippi was walking and running by the time she was 10 months old.
Reaching Milestones
Aware Of Possible Danger
Although Tippi loved the animals, she understood that they were wild and that she had to be extra cautious. She had to be on her guard just in case. Living in the wild posed different dangers and she was well aware.
Aware Of Possible Danger
Survival Techniques
Her parents had taught her survival techniques from a very young age. She was taught to respect all creatures and to never forget that they’re wild. If ever their wild instincts put her in danger, she would know what to do.
Survival Techniques
Being Cautious
Tippi had taken a liking to a lion cub named Mufasa and she was drawn to him. However, she didn’t realize just how big and potentially dangerous Mufasa could grow up to be. All she knew was that he was her friend.
Being Cautious
Not So Small
A year after meeting Mufasa, Tippi and her family saw him again. Now he had grown into a large lion. He was still friendly with her but his paws were too big and he could cause her serious harm, however unintentional.
Not So Small
Protective Parents
Even Though Sylvie and Alain loved the fact that Tippi was growing up surrounded by wild animals, they were also very protective over her. If ever they sensed that she may be in danger, they would step in.
Protective Parents
Always Safe
Sylvie and Alain had been living in the wild for 6 years before Tippi was born. They were living with meerkats in the Kalahari desert. They had experience with wild animals and believed they’d always be safe because they respected the animals.
Always Safe
A Day In The Life
While living in the Kalahari desert, Sylvie and Andre became very attached to a clan of meerkats living in the area. They documented a day in the life of these small, fascinating creatures and published a book with their findings.
A Day In The Life
An Unlikely Friendship
At the age of one, Tippi met an elephant named Abu. The two were like kindred spirits, and instantly became friends. Sylvie describes how Tippi wasn’t afraid of him and didn’t feel intimidated by his size from the moment she met him.
An Unlikely Friendship
An Old Friend
Tippi would look into Abu’s eyes and speak to him as if he was an old friend. Their bond was incredible, and Sylvie recalls how amazing it was to witness their special bond. It was like nothing she’d ever seen before.
An Old Friend
Another Close Bond
Other than her friendship with Abu, the 34-year-old elephant bull, Tippi had formed a bond with a leopard named J&B. Tippi described J&B as her best friend. Which 6-year-old can say that her best friends are an elephant and a leopard?
Another Close Bond
Somewhat Tame
This leopard had been adopted by a local farmer because its mother had been killed. He was somewhat tame, although he never lost his killer instincts. He was always calm with Tippi but had once attacked another child until Tippi stopped him.
Somewhat Tame
A Special Gift
Tippi had a special gift from a young age. She had a way with animals and she was able to connect with them on a different level. She believed that everyone had a gift, and talking to animals was hers.
A Special Gift
Child Animal Whisperer
Tippi was able to communicate with animals in a way that she could understand them and vice versa. This is how she becomes friends with different animals of all sizes and species. This allowed her parents to capture amazing photos too.
Child Animal Whisperer
Bullfrogs Were No Exception
Tippi didn’t discriminate between the animals. She loved all of them, even slimy ones. Most kids would run a mile from a bullfrog, but not Tippi. Her dad was able to capture this intimate moment between Tippi and her friend the bullfrog.
Bullfrogs Were No Exception
Shy Ostrich
Ordinarily, ostriches are very shy of humans and prefer to keep their distance. Not just that, they run away from humans for fear of being harmed. Ostriches know that humans are usually their predators and tend to hunt them.
Shy Ostrich
Tippi Goes For A Ride
Tippi managed to get a tame ostrich named Linda to trust her. Not just trust her to get close to her, but enough to let her ride her. Linda belonged to a local farmer and Tippi used to love riding her.
Tippi Goes For A Ride
Local Bushmen
Other than encountering different animals, the Degré family has met many tribes throughout their travels. Tippi befriended Bushmen and people from the Himba tribe that live in the Kalahari. Tippi would spend a considerable amount of time with them and learn many things.
Local Bushmen
School Like No Other
The Bushmen would teach Tippi how to use a traditional bow and arrow, and how to survive on berries and roots. They also taught her their language and many other things from their culture. She loved spending time with them.
School Like No Other
Spending Time With Other Kids
Sylvie and Alain would use every opportunity to film everything they encountered. So when they were filming the San Bushmen of Namibia, they would let Tippi spend the day with the tribe until she’d fall asleep among the kids.
Spending Time With Other Kids
Becoming Part Of The Tribe
The kids from the tribe had accepted her right from the start. They found her fascinating as she looked different to them. The tribe’s kids were curious about her, especially her long blonde hair. They enjoyed playing with her as well.
Becoming Part Of The Tribe
A Time Of Adjustment
Tippi felt accepted by the tribespeople. Within minutes of meeting the kids, she was seen as the cute clown of the party. Unfortunately, when she left Africa to go back to Europe she didn’t find the same acceptance.
A Time Of Adjustment
Seen Many Sights
The Degrés traveled the world in search of opportunities to photograph and document different animal species. Tippi was therefore exposed to many different animals from different countries. Wherever she goes, she just connects to the wildlife in the area.
Seen Many Sights
Seabirds Were No Exception
Tippi and her family traveled to the Seabird Islands just off the coast of South Africa. This is an important breeding ground for different species of coastal birds. Here you see how Tippi is completely engulfed in her surroundings.
Seabirds Were No Exception
A Snake Charmer
This picture depicts just how fearless Tippi really was as a young child. She even played with snakes and wasn’t afraid. Most kids and even some adults would be too scared to handle a snake never mind play with one.
A Snake Charmer
A Dangerous Kiss
This photo is a true testament to her bravery. Not only was she not afraid to hold a snake, but she even let it get close enough to her face to give her a kiss. This proves how Tippi loved every living creature.
A Dangerous Kiss
Big Cats
One of Tippi’s best friends was a leopard, so she clearly wasn’t afraid of big cats. Quite the opposite actually, she felt drawn to them. She treated them like her pets or her friends. She would play with them every opportunity she got.
Big Cats
Restful Sleep
She didn’t feel threatened at all around big cats. In this photo, you see her fast asleep next to a lion cub. She must have felt truly safe in their company to have a nap with one of the cubs.
Restful Sleep
A Black-And-White Friendship
Her passion for animals extended to every species. She loved interacting with all animals. She enjoyed feeding a baby zebra that was hand-reared and lived on a nearby farm. Yet again she showed no fear, only love and respect towards the animal.
A Black And White Friendship
Taking Every Opportunity To Interact
Tippi took every opportunity she could to interact with animals. Her parents were thrilled because they saw it as a chance for her to make new friends and to learn something new through experiences. She never discriminated between species, including humans.
Taking Every Opportunity To Interact
Larger Than Life
Another one of Tippi’s favorite animals was elephants. She loved riding them and they didn’t seem to have a problem with her either, which isn’t at all a surprise. She had such a way with animals that they didn’t feel threatened by her.
Larger Than Life
Hugs All Round
Not only does the elephant let Tippi ride it but he is cradling her with his trunk. There’s an obvious bond and respect between them when you see their interaction. Tippi looks like she’s completely relaxed and at peace hugging this majestic beast.
Hugs All Round
Play Time
One of Tippi’s favorite pastimes was playing around the watering hole with the elephants. She loved splashing them with water as they were trying to cool off on a hot summer’s day. They don’t become agitated because they trust her completely.
Play Time
An Unconventional Life In Every Aspect
Nothing about Tippi’s childhood was conventional. Little girls her age would be wearing dresses, but she wore loincloths and animal skins. Most young girls like playing with purses, and she had a suitcase that was made from a tree trunk.
An Unconventional Life In Every Aspect
Stuffed Toy Vs. Cuddling A Live Animal
Her friends were primarily animals of different sizes. When most kids have a favorite stuffed toy or teddy bear to cuddle with Tippi was cuddling live animals. Regardless of how unconventional her life was, she loved every second of it.
Stuffed Toy Vs. Cuddling A Live Animal
Loyal Friends
Tippi’s friends included a leopard, elephant, and a baboon, other than the children from the local tribe. Baboons and apes have been known to be one of the most intelligent animal species. It’s been said that they have many similarities to humans.
Loyal Friends
Deep Understanding
In this pic, you can see just how gentle the animal is with Tippi and vice versa. They project a deep understanding that transcends species. Tippi caresses the animal’s hand studying it and the baboon is more than happy to let her.
Deep Understanding
Homeschooling Through Nature
Because the Degrés moved around a lot and lived primarily in rural areas, Tippi was homeschooled. Her parents used their environment and their knowledge about nature to teach her many things she would never have learned in an ordinary school setting.
Homeschooling Through Nature
Wisdom From Turtles
Her parents taught her about patience and perseverance using turtles as an example. They may move slow but they always reach their goals. In later years, her parents decided that mainstream schooling was not for Tippi and continued to homeschool her.
Wisdom From Turtles
Gentle Giants
The African can grow up to 12 feet tall and can weigh 5 tons, which makes it one of the world’s largest land animals. These gentle giants travel in herds and are family-oriented. Not surprisingly, Tippi became part of the herd.
Gentle Giants
An Amazing Portfolio
If Tippi were to be a model for anything to do with wildlife, she would have had the most amazing portfolio. She has experienced so much in the wild and her parents were right there to capture these special moments.
An Amazing Portfolio
A Love Like No Other
The love that Tippi had for all the animals she encountered was true and genuine. Whether the animals were big, small, cute, or ugly didn’t make any difference to her. She always made sure that the animal felt that love.
A Love Like No Other
New Meaning To Using Mom’s Makeup
Tippi had become close to the tribespeople and they treated her like one of their own. She wore the clothes that they wore and they even did her makeup the way they would do to one of their own tribe members.
New Meaning To Using Mom’s Makeup
Returning To Nature
Transitioning from living in the wild to now living in modern society was difficult for Tippi. When she was 12 she went back to Africa to film a documentary for the Discovery Channel. She felt like she was back where she belonged.
Returning To Nature
Tame Yet Still Wild
Her parents told The Telegraph that even though Tippi was photographed with many wild animals, some were actually tame. When they lived in Southern Africa, they lived in an area where there were some farms and these farmers would raise orphan animals.
Tame Yet Still Wild
A Daredevil At Heart
Tippi’s parents described her as a daredevil because she was never afraid of any animal, no matter how dangerous they were. She always saw the best in every creature she encountered. The size of the animal didn’t intimidate her either.
A Daredevil At Heart
One Single Incident
Considering that Tippi was surrounded by different kinds of animals, some predators even, she was only bitten once. Her middle name is Okanti, which means meerkat. Ironically, a meerkat bit her nose, and it was the only time she was ever bitten.
One Single Incident
Tipi Became Famous
When the media learned about Tippi and her upbringing, they wanted to know more. There are multiple documentaries that document her life and her experiences. There are also books written about her extraordinary childhood and how it has shaped who she is today.
Tipi Became Famous
Transitioning To The Concrete Wilderness
After living in Africa for 10 years, it was time to move to the city. It was a huge adjustment for Tippi and it was extremely difficult. From having the African savannah as a backyard, she had to live in a small apartment.
Transitioning To The Concrete Wilderness
A Trying Time
The first two years after moving to the city were exceptionally hard for Tippi. Her parents tried to introduce her to city life by sending her to school, but it didn’t work because she had very little in common with other kids.
A Trying Time
Homeschooling Was A Better Option
They decided that homeschooling would be better for her, and that helped. Even though it was hard, she eventually settled into her new city life. She now looks back and feels beyond blessed to have had the childhood she did.
Homeschooling Was A Better Option
The Wild Runs In Her Veins
She eventually graduated high school and went on to study film. She followed in her parents’ footsteps and became a wildlife photographer and videographer. She said she will always miss the wild. Dong this work gives her the opportunity to go back.
The Wild Runs In Her Veins
