Shingalana: The Little Hunter - Season 1

Shingalana, Shingi, was found as a helpless little furball just a few hours old cub abandoned by her mother. When filmmaker John Vary, also called JV, found her in the South African Londolozi Wildlife Preserve, Shingis heart wrenching blue eyes left JV and Gillian no choice but taking her home and to raise her.

Shingi, JV and Gillian move to the African Bush. Here JV and Gillian continue to care and teach Shingi how to be a lion with the hope that one day she will be free. JV and Gillian has no doubt Shingi should return to the life nature intended for her. JV shows her how to drink from a waterhole, to dig for warthogs and to take down young gazelles.

Shingi was a playful cub, liked to play around with Elmon Mhlongo Londolozi's best tracker, who was treated by her like a brother. Elmon taught her to identify danger, stalk and hunt, also to play around with a soccer ball and sleep in a bed.

JV and Gillian has no doubt Shingi should return to the life nature intended for her. JV shows her how to drink from a waterhole, to dig for warthogs and to take down young gazelles.

The South Luangwa National Park of Zambia is a remote and untamed corner of Africa and it is in this that its beauty lies. Shingi adapted well: her hunting skills improved dramatically as she pulled down juvenile and then adult Puku and Impala. As she came into oestrus, she faced the final test on her journey back into the wild. Would she make the transition and be accepted by the wild lions?

With joy in their hearts JV, Gillian and Elmon watched how, at first tentatively, the territorial males visited the camp and then more confidently began courting Shingi. And then came the dramatic turn of events as the pride of females became aggressive towards her. This poignant story of a human and lion relationship while ending in a tragedy brings a new insight into the complex communication and social system of these great cats.