Little Tippi - The Real life "mogali"

These incredible photographs document the life of Tippi Benjamine Okanti Degré, a young girl who was brought up by her wildlife photographer parents in Africa.

Young Tippi was born in Namibia and travelled through many African countries during her childhood, making friends with the animals and local tribesmen.

'Her everyday life was making sure monkeys did not steal her bottle,' said her mother, Sylvie Robert.

'Or she would call me over and point to an elephant eating from a palm tree and say 'mummy, be quiet, we're going to frighten him.'

'She had so much freedom. It was like having the biggest playground.'

Tippi's African adventures gave her a special connection with the wild animals - just like the Jungle Book's Mowgli - and that can be seen in these pictures where Tippi gets close with penguins, meerkats and an elephant named Abu.

'She had no fear,' said Sylvie.

'She did not realise she was not the same size as Abu the elephant. She would just speak to him like she would speak to me.

'They used to call her 'the little girl who would talk with animals.'

When Tippi returned to France at the age of 10, she struggled to adjust to city life.

'She missed the animals so much,' said her mum.

'We didn't have room for a dog in our flat, so we got a budgie instead. 

'It would go everywhere with her, even on the train, flying right by her side, sitting on her head or falling asleep on her shoulder.

'She loved that little bird so much. He was the only friend she had.'

Tippi's memories are now recorded in a book, Tippi: My Book Of Africa.