Lombard International Assurance, a global leader in insurance-based wealth structuring solutions for high net worth individuals, families and institutions, has today announced its support of the Wildlife e.V. foundation and its initiative to protect and preserve the African lions of Chizarira National Park in Zimbabwe.
Over the past decade, Africa’s lion population has been decimated due to widespread poaching and habitat destruction. At one time, this iconic species would have been seen across the entire African continent, but lions have disappeared from 94% of their historic roaming lands and are now confined to just 660,000 square miles. With just 25,000 left in Africa, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has classified lions as vulnerable to extinction.
Wild@Life e.V. has been working in Zimbabwe for more than a decade, collaring wild lions in order to monitor their population and the movements of the prides. This project is vital in providing conservationists with the data they need to protect against poaching and the many other threats to the safety of Zimbabwe’s lions. Information is also shared with other conservation studies in the Kavinga Zambezi Trans-frontier Conservation Area which includes Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The Lombard International Lion has been named ‘Asli’ in honour of Wildlife e.V’s founder Aslihan Gedik. Asli is a young lioness with two cubs.
Axel Hörger, CEO Europe explained: “At Lombard International, we believe that private wealth makes a positive impact on the world. Supporting social, cultural and environmental causes is a core part of this. Wildlife conservation is especially close to our hearts at Lombard International, not least because the lion has such great symbolism for our company. The work that Aslihan and the Wild@Life e.V. foundation do is both inspiring and effective in tackling the many threats faced by Zimbabwe’s lion population. We are thrilled to be able to support them in their noble mission.”
Aslihan Gedik, Founder of the Wild@Life e.V. commented: “We are so grateful to Axel and the team at Lombard International Assurance in supporting our project – saving the real Lion Kings of Africa! Asli, the Lombard International Lion is thriving. Collaring is so very important for the conservation of the species and the fight against human wildlife conflict. Lions are not only iconic for their beauty and symbolism, but for the balance of the environment and natural ecosystem.”
About Wild@Life
Wild@Life e.V., incorporated as a German NGO, has extensive expertise in the field of conservation, as the need to safeguard wild animals increases day by day. Our work includes lion and elephant rescue, rehabilitation and release in Africa, chimpanzee rescue in Angola, orangutan rescue in Indonesia, primate rescue in Vietnam, farm animal rescue in Germany, stray dogs and cats rescue in Turkey, work to decrease the use of primates in animal laboratories and entering conflict zones such as Syria, where no other NGO is willing to go, to rescue animals left to die in abandoned zoos.
Wild@Life believes in working hand in hand with locals communities to encourage ongoing sustainability, ensuring communities are involved in every step of the way to help conserve the remaining wilderness left in the world today.
For further information about Wild@Life visit: www.wildatlife.com
