Conservation

The conservation aspect of the Foundation focuses on some of the core aspects of the environmental health of Pumba Private Game Reserve. The key project at Pumba is the White Lion conservation project, which has been in place since 2007. This successful project has re-introduced white lions into the wild and is producing a diverse healthy population of white and split gene tawny lions.

In addition to fauna projects, the fundamental flora project is that of alien vegetation clearance. The Foundation has created employment for a team of vegetation clearance that focuses on eradicating exotic vegetation such as black wattle, long leaf wattle and blue gum, or eucalyptus. The goal of this is not only to reduce the spread of these species, but to promote additional ground water flow into essential areas such as river valleys.

Alien Vegetation Management

A sad consequence of the lack of historical understanding of biodiversity has left most of the Makana area littered with alien vegetation, such as black wattle, blue gum (Eucalyptus), Port Jackson and a wide variety of others. Persistent focus has been placed on the removal of these species through water centred projects. Pumba has teamed up with Working For Water, a government funded project that manages the clearing of alien vegetation to free up water flow in designated areas. For almost 15 years, this partnership has cleared large swathes of land throughout the reserve and continues to play an important role in returning the environment to its natural state.

Education

Pumba has hosted numerous visits from surrounding schools and community groups as a form of conservation education and community engagement. The setup of a dedicated educational centre will focus on the furthering of this conservation and educational effort and allow for a more in depth interactional engagement with the youth in schools surrounding Pumba, in addition to creating a space where international guests and visitors can visit and learn about the role that Pumba plays in the community, the environment and conservation of the natural biodiversity of our area.

White Lion Conservation Project

White Lion Conservation Project

In 2007, the white lion project started with a single white male and two tawny lions carrying the recessive white gene. After the introduction of an additional white female, Pumba has produced four litters of white lions, two from the original lioness and two from her oldest daughter. A key focus of the white lion project was not to limit the genetics to the white, or leucistic, gene but to ensure genetic diversity through the introduction of tawny, or brown, lions. Through careful management and patience, the two most recent litters, born to a white female and split gene tawny male, have produced litters with mixed colouring. This is an important factor based on the limited genetic diversity of white lions worldwide. Through our association with the Global White Lion Protection Trust, based in the Timbavati area, we are dedicated to ensuring not only the existence of white lions in the wild, but also the healthy diversity of the species.