Global White Lion Protection Trust White Lion Conservation Project A Solution Based Approach -Linda Tucker “No-one in their right mind would ever travel to Siam and there murder the rare White Elephants that we find in that country. But people come to South Africa to brutally murder the White Lions of Timbavati in the name of manliness and in the name of sport. The sacred icons of other races and nations in this world are respected, revered and protected. But the icons of Africa are massacred with cold impunity” -Credo Mutwa Engaging the South African Government, Communities, Parks and Tourism 2003 -2008 WLT Representatives • Linda Tucker: –MA CANTAB from Cambridge University (1987) –Author “Mystery of the WhiteLions”( 2001) –Founder Global White Lion Protection Trust (2002) • Jason Turner: –MSc Wildlife Management -University of Pretoria (2005) –White Lion Ecologist and Scientific Advisor –Head of White Lion Reintroduction –Professional Memberships: •Member Cat Specialist Group •Member African Lion Working Group •Member Conservation Breeding Specialist Group •Member SA Veterinary Association • Wendy Strauss: –BA (Hons) –University of the Witwatersrand (1992) –MA Mass Communication –Leicester University (2000) –Senior Communications Partner –Head of White Lion Community Development and Heritage Mission Statement The protection of the White Lions, their endemic land and their cultural heritage in perpetuity through science and sacred science. International Congresses •World Wilderness Congress(2001), •World Summit of Sustainable Utilization (2002), •World Parks Congress ( 2003), •World Carnivore Congress SanteFe (2004) •World Wilderness Congress Alaska (2005) •Desert Soul Festival Namibia (2007) Current Zoological Partnerships •Canada: Park Safari •Belgium: OlmenseZoo •Canada: Toronto Metropolitan Zoo •Italy: Safari Park Pombia •South Africa: East London Queens Park Zoo •South Africa: Johannesburg Zoo •United Kingdom: West Midland Safari and Leisure Park •United Kingdom: Paradise Wildlife Park •Denmark: NaestvedZoo Zoological Facilities: Expressed Interest • South Africa: National Zoological Gardens of South Africa • Canada: PapanackPark Zoo • China: ShangaiWild Animal park • China: Guangzhou PanyuXiangjiangSafari Park • France: JurquesZoo • France: BeauvalZoo • France: Le parcdes félins • Tenerife Island: Las aguilasJungle Park • Germany: Fritz WurmsHollywood & Safari park • Greece: Attica Zoological Park • Japan: Tohoku Safari Park • Netherlands: OuwehandsDierenpark • United States: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden • United States: Philadelphia Zoo • United States: Siegfreid& Roy's Secret Garden • United States: Toledo Zoo • United States: Zoological Animal Reproduction Centre • Finland: KorkeasaariEläintarha • Sweden: JunseleZoo • United States: San Diego Zoo (Conservation and Research for Endangered Species) • United States: Columbus Zoo & Aquarium White Lion Reintroduction -Jason Turner “The Reintroduction of White Lions back in their endemic habitat represents a critical landmark in conservation history” -Dr Ian Player (2004): world renowned for his work in protecting the White Rhino. Dr Player is on the WLT Advisory Panel Conservation Paradigm The overall objectives of the Global White Lion Protection Trust align with the conservation paradigm of today–conservation through sustainable utilization, with particular emphasis on community participation, education and cultural upliftment Holistic Approach APEX PREDATOR PEOPLE PREY HABITAT White Lion Facts • Genetic rarity of Pantheraleo (African lion) • Not albinos –but the result of a recessive gene (as in blue-eyed humans) • Not classified as a subspecies - although morphologically unique and geographically limited in distribution White Lion Facts (cont.) •Classified as Pantheraleo, therefore listed on CITES Appendix II and can be traded or hunted • Lack of objectivity in lion classification -no legislation protecting lions e.g. lions in west and central Africa (Barnett et al. 2006) & White Lions in Timbavati region •The lions in the SabieSands region (Greater KNP) are 1 of 4 uniquely defined lion groups (Dubach et al. 2005) -Timbavati region? White Lion Facts (cont.) • No white lions in the wild; < 300 world wide •Founder white lions in the reintroduction are of the highest genetic integrity •Occurred naturally in one region on the globe –the TIMBAVATI and southern KNP Global Map: Natural Distribution of the White Lion White Lion Endemic Range Kruger to Canyon’s Biosphere White Lion Project History of White Lions •First sighted in Timbavati in 1938 •Frequency of occurrence increased - 12 births in 9 different prides in Timbavati & KNP between 1975 and 1980 • Artificially removed from Timbavati in 1981 -another 16 known lion removals (one of which I witnessed) History of White Lions (cont.) • Timbavati made 2 attempts to reintroduce white lions in the late 1980’s and in 1993 •SA Government statement: white lions should not leave South African soil (McBride 1981) Wild White Lioness in Timbavati ©Jamie Rankin Status of White Lions •No sightings in the wild for 13 years (1994 to 2006) • Two sets of white cubs born in Timbavati in 2006 •Pride male trophy hunted - no cubs survived •Status of white gene unknown - gene pool needs to be protected Reintroduction Objectives The objectives of the white lion reintroduction program are in accordance with those outlined by the IUCN: •to maintain and/or restore natural biodiversity •to enhance the long-term survival of a species •to provide long-term economic benefits to the local and/or national economy •to re-establish a keystone species (in the ecological or cultural sense) in an ecosystem •to promote conservation awareness Biodiversity Conservation Biodiversity conservation aims to avoid the loss of nature’s exceptional diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. Given the endangered state of many felid species and subspecies, reintroductions are being increasingly proposed and practiced as a conservation strategy and method to return extirpated populations to their former range (Miller et al. 1999; Fischer & Lindenmayer 2000; Ray 2005, Johnsingh et al. 2007). White Lion Reintroduction • 7 years of research and input from experts • 1st White Lions being reintroduced to the wild in natural distribution range •Founder white lions have the highest genetic integrity –lineage of the adult lioness from tawny carriers in Timbavati itself • Hunting self-sufficiently after only 5 weeks in the wild •Establish sub-population(s) in wild within endemic range • Future wild-born offspring of founder white lions may be considered for reintroduction to Timbavati Genetic Lineage of Founder White Lions (Global White Lion Protection Trust) SSubub--AAdudulltt WWhhiittee LLiioneonessss KillKillss anan AAdudulltt WWilildebeedebeestst © Jason Turner SSubub--AAdudulltt MMaalleess KillKill anan AAdudulltt WWilildebeedebeestst ©Jason Turner White Lion Hunting Success 7 APNR Sohbhele pride average annual kill rate: 3.000 6 APNR Matamani pride average annual kill rate: 2.500 ) s 5 l l i k / s 4 APNR Caroline pride average annual kill rate: 2.385 y a d ( e 3 t a r White lion group kill rate: l l i 2 Jul. - Mar. 3.209; Aug.-Mar. 3.038 K 1 Madjuma Lion Reserve pride average annual kill rate: 4.400 0 (Source: Power 2002) Welgevonden Private Game Reserve pride: l. t. r. u g p t v c n b a J u e c o e a e average annual kill rate: 2.960 - A O N D J F M - S - - - - - - 1 - (Source: Kilian 2003) 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Month (number and calendar) of white lion food self-sufficiency post-release Fig. 1. Hunting success of the White Lions vswild tawny lion prides in the Limpopoprovince, South Africa. (Turner & Vasicek 2008, in prep.) White Lion Protection Plan™ 1. Identify genetic marker for the white phenotype 2. Identify & protect gene carriers of highest genetic integrity 3. Re-establish White Lions in their natural endemic habitat 4. Establish > 1 sub-population within endemic range (Meta-population approach) 5. National protection: National Biodiversity Management Plan 6. National protection: List on the IUCN Red Data List 7. Listed for international protection by CITES Meta-Population Approach •In accordance with current strategies for lion conservation, the present lion reintroduction aims to contribute to the meta-population management approach which has already been put into place in southern Africa (Nowell& Jackson 1996). •As lions have become increasingly confined to protected areas individuals are moved over large distances between protected areas (Barnett et al. 2006). •In order to completely re-wild the White Lions and ensure genetic diversity, our aim is to establish and manage a number of separate subpopulations before ultimately integrating wild-born white lions with a resident pride/s in the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve itself. White Lion Captive Breeding THE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS OF INBREEDING Legislation • No legislation protecting white lions •White Lions can be hunted into extinction •Need to be listed as critically endangered variant / regional polymorphism of Pantheraleo-(i) locally, (ii) nationally, and (iii) internationally National Protection •Unique contribution to Biodiversity -National Biodiversity Management Plan for Species •Need to be listed on the Schedule of threatened and protected animals of National Importance •GLOBAL PRECEDENT: Kermode (‘Spirit’) Bear protected by law in British Columbia (Canada) and 220 000 ha land set aside for their protection •Like the White Lion, the white coat of the Spirit Bear is believed