Formalhaut and her cub gracefully roam the Heartlands, embodying the spirit of protection and resilience at the Global White Lion Protection Trust.

As the CEO and Founder of the Non-Profit Organisation, Global White Lion Protection Trust, I thank you in advance for taking note of our serious concerns in this Open Letter.

Disney’s original Lion King story of 1994 is one of the most enduring animated productions of all time. The reason for its meteoric success is its timeless message, which reaches the very heart of humankind: a message of hope in the restoration of our planet. No-one can forget the opening sequence of abundance across all species, accompanied by the heart-soaring music of Elton John’s Circle of Life. Into this idyllic scene of harmonious coexistence, King Mufasa pads to the edge of Pride Rock where the ancient medicine man, Rafiki, presents him with baby Simba. The plot unfolds in a breath-taking sequence of events, from the tragic death of Mufasa and the destruction of the pride lands under Scar’s corrupt governance, to the ultimate restoration of the kingdom, once Simba is brave enough to take up his role and responsibility as a LionHearted Leader. An inspirational narrative, inviting every one of us to find the true LionHeart within, and help change the course of humanity’s devastating consumerist model.

Unfortunately, Disney’s Mufasa fails to activate the same sense of pride and unity of purpose, and instead, leaves the audiences distracted, demotivated and downhearted. This is partly because the fragmented plot is somewhat overshadowed by gratuitous violence. But more importantly, it is because the film makes use of symbols that are not authentically grounded in truth. The most obvious of these misalignments is that the murderous villains, responsible for the savagery and destruction of peace, are none other than the radiant White Lions. This is a gravely inappropriate choice of antagonist. Over more than three decades of scientific research and ground-breaking conservation of White Lions in the wild, I have never heard of nor encountered a single incident of these apex animals initiating aggression. In fact, the opposite is true: White Lions and the familiar tawny-coloured lions cohabit peacefully in prides in their shared wilderness territories. The truth is, these rare animals are recognised by African wisdom keepers to be bringers of peace and prosperity.

Of course, the animated characters and every element of the story serves as a metaphor, highlighting an underlying truth, rather than being taken literally. The loveable Rafiki is a wise, aged baboon with his iconic staff, representing the Indigenous Wisdom Keeper in the great oral story-telling traditions of Africa.  Zazu, the yellow-billed hornbill and news reporter, symbolises the ability to observe events from above.  The evolving hero, Mufasa, embodies the archetype of the emerging LionHearted Leader, who restores the Circle of Life to the kingdom.

However, whilst metaphors are not meant to be taken literally, they often are, particularly when the audience consists of children, who have not fully developed abstract or conceptual thinking. Consequently, poorly devised metaphors can cause lasting damage to those who do not necessarily have another reference. Irresponsible storytelling vilifying a particular wild species can cause far-reaching damage to conservation efforts in the real world. As a conservationist advocating for the survival of the White Lions, I am now faced with the additional burden of having to re-educate the international public.

White Lions are real lions who are critically endangered in the wild, requiring urgent conservation measures to ensure their survival. Disney’s portrayal of White Lions as villainous “Outsiders” fixated on killing Mufasa, Scar and his pride, could not be further from the truth.

Apex predators play a crucial role in maintaining the balance and health of ecosystems, as has been demonstrated with the reintroduction of wolves to Yellow Stone Park.  White Lions are vital to this ecological principle, now termed “trophic cascading”. As the capstone species in their natural ecosystem, White Lions have shown themselves to be masterful in restoring devastated wastelands into flourishing pride lands – ensuring the restoration of the entire Circle of Life.

While their luminous white coats are the result of a rare genetic code (TY260G>A), much more needs to be understood about why these radiant beings have suddenly started reappearing on the planet, and specifically why they are born in a primordial sacred natural site, which carries the ancient Tsonga name: Timba-vaati, meaning “Place where the StarLions came down”.  Revered authority and Guardian of Indigenous African Knowledge, Credo Mutwa, is a true ‘Rafiki’.  He taught me that White Lions are regarded as the “Holiest animals on the African continent” and referred to these luminaries as “Children of the Sun God” and “Star Beasts,” alluding to the glowing light which they emanate, both in form and in consciousness.

Embodying stellar leadership, these kings and queens of the ecosystem are intrinsic to an understanding of how to restore human aspiration and true humane leadership principles.

Credo Mutwa and other indigenous healers with whom I’ve worked, echoed the ancient ancestral belief held across Africa: that human leaders who serve the renewal of Earth become “Lions” when they pass, and return to the Stars in the Heavens, where they continue to shine their wisdom down upon our beautiful planet. In the first Lion King story, the scene of Mufasa’s celestial spirit looking down upon his grieving son, Simba, reflecting in a pool of water as one of the heavenly stars above, is a timeless expression of this primordial belief. Earth is therefore understood to be “Heaven’s Mirror,” the most ancient of wholistic concepts.  It is not surprising then that this revival of the Lion King story opens by repeating this very powerful image.

Linda Tucker with Credo Mutwa, the 95-year-old African Wisdom Keeper (Isanusi), whose profound knowledge of the White Lions was misrepresented in Disney’s remake of The Lion King. Their shared commitment to preserving sacred indigenous knowledge highlights the true legacy of the White Lions.

Indeed, for a suspended moment, it does appear that Disney’s Mufasa is trying to achieve the same goal as the original Lion King story, which envisioned a restored Earth. It even introduces the concept of Milele as the name for the original pride lands, a Swahili word for Paradise, the eternal place where the light touches the Earth.

Why then does the production fail?

In African cosmology, the archetypal earthly paradise is a reality, not mere fantasy. It is a place on Earth where biodiversity flourishes, and all natural life coexists in harmony and interconnection, including humans. White Lions are intrinsic to this vision. The fact is they are not merely animals; they are living legends, celestial icons considered sacred messengers who carry wisdom from the stars. They represent a covenant between humanity and Nature—a reminder of our shared responsibility to protect Earth’s fragile ecosystems to ensure harmonious coexistence of all Earth’s beings. Indeed, if we were searching for a symbol of LionHearted Leadership™ that could restore Milele, we could not find a more inspirational and resplendent example than the White Lions.

Tswalu and Matsieng—white and golden lions—stand together in perfect harmony within the Heartlands, symbolising the natural balance and harmonious coexistence preserved by the Global White Lion Protection Trust.

Unfortunately, by demonising these living symbols of Hope and Earth’s restoration,  the reworked Lion King production, Mufasa, sadly misses a golden opportunity to showcase the stellar qualities of true LionHearted Leadership in our times. In my LionHearted Leadership™ training, “LionHeartedness” is defined as that quality of fearlessness inspired by Love and Respect for our Natural World that enables us to transform our human world. Qualities demonstrated by stellar human leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, both of whom luminaries were introduced to the importance of the White Lions.

When we dedicate ourselves to service-based leadership, we all have this potential radiant “LionHeart” within us.

The consequences of portraying White Lions as bloodthirsty killers extend beyond the silver screen. Such cinematic conditioning of audiences undermines conservation efforts, fostering fear, contempt or indifference rather than the heart-felt empathy they so nobly deserve. In the real world, these royals of the bushveld are amongst the most persecuted animals on the planet. Desired for their magnificence, they have been poached and gunned down as trophies. They have been extracted from the wild and sold to zoos and circuses around the globe. They have been bred in captivity, cuddled as cubs and then, as adults, killed for blood-sport or to satisfy the lion bone trade.

There’s an old African proverb which says: Until the Lion Learns to Speak, the Story will be told from the Hunter’s perspective. It is time to tell a story from the White Lions’ perspective. A story that honours their ability to restore peace and abundance – the Golden Age of Milele. For those of us actively working for the protection of our planet’s future, participating in peaceful solutions, for Mother Nature and the good of all, Disney’s choice is regrettable.

Disney’s extraordinary reach and influence can change perceptions across generations. With such power comes responsibility.

Fortunately, good story-telling usually comes in a 3-part Trilogy: Let us envisage a sequel to Mufasa, a future production of the Lion King, where Disney reimagines its narrative—not with White Lions as villains, but as they truly are: living symbols of resilience, harmony, and golden balance restored. A story where White Lions are celebrated, not for their rarity and monetary value, but for the timeless lessons they offer about harmonious coexistence amongst ourselves and Nature. This culminating masterpiece would not only honour the White Lions as a magnificent living legacy, but equally inspire the youth to become responsible stewards of our planet at a time when true LionHearted Leaders are needed more urgently than ever.

Perhaps the Disney initiative, Global Protect the Pride Campaign, which sets an intention to support and fund lion conservation, could be directed toward redressing this issue.

Sincerely

Linda Tucker

FOUNDER and CEO