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Sanbona for the white lions |
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Ask Stephen how to see these animals WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA -- On October 22nd, 2004, the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in South Africa, embarked on an ambitious conservation project of global impact – the release of white lions back into their natural environment. As there are no white lions left in the wild, the lions at Sanbona are the only free roaming white lions in the world. This bold initiative is part of a strategic alliance of the Mantis Collection with the Global White Lion Protection Trust, whose founding objective is to establish the white lions as South Africa’s national treasure because of their cultural and symbolic importance. And it has been the long awaited dream of Dr Gaston Savoi, a keen conservationist and previous Co-Chairman of the Mantis Collection of which Sanbona is a part. According to African mythology, white lions are the messengers of the gods, a symbol of the good to be found in all creatures. Instead, the commercial value of rare white lions has encouraged ruthless people to breed them purely for trophy hunting with no plans to release them back into the wild.The realization of this extraordinary project commenced in 2003 when a male and a female white lion were purchased and transported to Sanbona, situated in the Little Karoo, in South Africa. Sanbona is on 54,000 hectares and is the first privately owned reserve in the Western Cape in which the ‘Big Five’ roam free.
The pair of White Lions produced three cubs, born on May 18, 2004. They are the first white lions for many decades to have been born out of captivity and have been carefully and scientifically supervised on their journey back to the wild. White lions are a genetic rarity of Panthera Leo and are not albinos. They have pigmentation, which show particularly in eye, paw pad and lip color. The white phenotype is the result of a recessive gene and is termed leucism. For centuries, legends of white lions were passed down in the oral tradition of African people. These accounts recalled the appearance of white lions over 400 years ago in the reign of Queen Numbi. Strong claims of sightings began to surface in 1928 but it took 47 years before confirmation was received in the 1970s when a litter containing two white cubs was documented at Timbavati Private Nature Reserve by researcher Chris McBride. White lions originated in Timbavati by natural occurrence and are endemic to this region.
The white lion population in Timbavati was decimated by illegal hunting practices and forced removals. White lions from the original strain do still exist but can only be found in very limited numbers in breeding/hunting camps within South Africa and zoos around the world. In the US, they are part of the breeding program of Los Vegas celebrity performers, Siegfried and Roy. The only exceptions to this sad fact are the magnificent white lions at Sanbona. Returning the white lion to their place of origin is a significant act of redressing the wrong which humans have perpetrated against them. Dr. Savoi is commited to a carefully orchestrated scientific research program where the ultimate objective has been to return an integrated pride of white lions to their original homeland. He says “This dream could never have been accomplished without the dedicated efforts of the Wildlife Department of Sanbona and Shamwari. They have contributed their valuable experience, attained through years of work in the introduction of species in Shamwari Game Reserve and Sanbona Wildlife Reserve.”
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