Over 3 decades, Linda Tucker has been campaigning, presenting in Parliament, and working with scientists and indigenous leaders from all continents, implementing a survival strategy for White Lions, and all that these majestic animals represent for the restoration of ecosystems and human systems.
Her model for human leadership is based on her love for lions, king of animals.
In 2014, she hosted the Global Big Cat Alliance in the heart of White Lion ancestral territories, a gathering in which scientists and indigenous medicine people from around the globe convened and brought together modern scientific methods and ancient wisdom to help save the species.
In 2015, she received Woman of Impact Award and Governor’s Citation of Maryland, USA.
Linda has presented at South African Parliament (2007/8), and British Parliament (2013), calling for the protection of the White Lions and the prohibition of trophies at ports in the UK and USA.
Now she has launched the One United Roar Talent Challenge, a worldwide video contest that will provide children (under 15) and young adults (16-21) with the chance to help save our lions and our planet. The Talent Challenge is designed to activate the LionHeart in humans and give the “silent stakeholders” (Lions and Nature) a chance to be heard in human policy making.
A Desperate Situation
In 2009, at the Wild9 Congress (Mexico, with delegates from 54 countries), she had a Resolution passed, demanding the protection of the White Lions by international governments and appropriate bodies.
However, the South African government has failed to protect this rare heritage by law.
Instead, White Lions have been forcibly removed from the wilds of their endemic habitat for over 5 decades, and taken into captivity in zoos and circuses around the globe, and captive centres in South Africa – where hand-reared lions are bred to be killed.
White Lions form the epicentre of the notorious killing industry, of which touristic commercial cub-petting parks are a key link in the bloody supply chain.
In these captive-breeding operations, White Lions and other rare wild animals are bred to be handled as cubs, then killed as commercial trophies for the Western Market and body parts for Eastern Market. Today, it is a barbarous flourishing industry, now referred to as “Blood Lions.”
The situation has only started to shift after the outcry sparked by the CECIL event last year, with the worldwide public demanding change. The C.E.C.I.L Act (Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing Importation of Large Animals Act) was passed through US congress offering some hope of more responsible management of trade in lions and the other so-called “Big 5” trophy animals on the commercial hunter’s “most desired” list.
The Blood Lions documentary went on to expose the horror of this large-scale industry to the world through global TV channels, social media campaigns, and engagement in political platforms.
Politicians are finally responding with legislation at least partially limiting lion trophy imports, and implementing tighter measures of control. Illegal trade in endangered species is the focus of the clamp down, but it’s business as usual for the legalized commercial trophy hunters.
So the question still remains.
If you are a lion today, what would you say to the policy makers?
Parliamentary interventions
After the Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) legalized the lion bone industry in 2017 by approving permits for cross-border trade in dead lions, as many as 1500 lions have been killed annually in South Africa, and exported as skeletons to Eastern markets, including China, Korea and Laos. Appallingly, these beautiful creatures, held under abysmal conditions of cruelty before being slaughtered for their carcasses, are the same lions who were once manhandled as baby cubs by people, including tourists and children on school outings.
Over decades, Linda Tucker and Jason A.Turner have presented at Parliaments in South Africa and Britain, calling for a prohibition of this abomination.
In 2018-19, the Global White Lion Protection Trust convened a delegation which presented on behalf of the lions at South African Parliament, and subsequently helped formalize a coalition of international conservation and animal welfare organisations to hold governments accountable.
Protecting a Sacred Natural Site
As a global conservation figure with a track-record of achievements over 3 decades, Linda’s efforts focus on achieving a paradigm-shift not only in wildlife management, but also human consciousness. She does so through LionHearted Leadership™ initiatives, inspired by the White Lions and all they represent by way of earth stewardship and good governance.
Protecting the White Lions’ ancestral lands holds the key to Linda Tucker’s unification strategy.
According to African record keepers, the Heartlands of the White Lions is an ancient Sacred Site, protected by African kings for many hundreds of years before Kruger National Park was proclaimed in 1926. In the first language, the White Lion Heartlands is known as ‘Tsau’, meaning ‘StarLion’.
It has since been recognized by ASSEGAIA (Alliance for the Sacred Sites of the Earth Gaia), the global authority on Sacred Natural Sites, calling for much stricter protective measures.
Read DAILY MAVERICK press article
“We seem totally blinded to the fact that by neglecting our responsibility to the earth we are threatening our own future”
– Linda Tucker
LionHearts Music Video:
Around the world young and old are unifying.
Join the movement to protect Lions and Nature.
VERONICA COETZER
PHOTOGRAPHIC COPYRIGHT
Please note that photographs on this site are property of the White Lion Protection Trust and may not be reproduced without written permission of the WLT.
Photographers: Veronica Coetzer, Karen-Jane Dudley, Maurice Fernandez, Anthony Smyth, Beth Duncan, Jason A.Turner
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