Tana Helfer

Short Biography

Tana was named after a river in Kenya, East Africa and to her father Ralph Helfer she was, and is one of the greatest blessings God had bestowed on him. She grew as if from the pages of Rudyard Kipling under the loving care of Kasan, the great grey Timber Wolf assigned protector of Tana's crib. Tana's childhood was unlike any others. Her play yard was equipped with an elephant, whom she used as others children would a jungle gym.Among her many playmates were Sultan, Serang, Patty, and all the other Bengal Tigers. Her big family of fur and feathers loved her as one of their own so she grew and thrived among the animals. From the beginning Tana and Zamba, a full-grown African male lion, had a very special relationship.Ralph's own relationship with Zamba was so close and trusting that he never thought twice about bringing his daughter up around him. Tana and Zamba grew up together as siblings and she called him her brother. They use to watch television together with a bowl of popcorn and Tana would curl up against him and drift off. It was not uncommon for her to be riding on his back around her parents "Africa U.S.A." Ranch in Soledad Canyon, California. A ranch that provided exotic animals for movies and television.When Tana turned sixteen she knew that she wanted to be a wild-animal stunt-woman. She couldn't remember ever wanting to be anything else. She learned from her father his own approach to educating wild animals that he called "Affection Training". Which was Love, Patience, Understanding and Respect. Because of this Zamba and other Affection Trained animals proved to be more responsive and dependable then animals that were worked through fear.Tana moved to Kenya, East Africa when she was 23 and has been a single mother raising her three daughters alone there.