Jason Turner completed a BSc Zoology and Grassland Science at the University of KwaZulu Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. This degree provided a solid theoretical and practical grounding in the discipline of Zoology and Botany, and Grassland Science.

Completed a BSc Honours Wildlife Management at the University of Pretoria (South Africa), providing an introduction to specialist theory and skills in wildlife management in South Africa.

Qualified as a wilderness guide through Conservation Corporation Africa (CCA) and worked with a Zulu tracker as a wildlife guide taking guided game drives and walks at Phinda Wildlife Reserve, KZN, RSA.

Worked and travelled in the UK and USA. Spent 6 months as a wildlife biologist for USFWS (US Fish & Wildlife Service) on a wolf conservation project under Prof David Mech and Dr Mike Nelson near Ely, Minnesota USA.

Completed an MSc Wildlife Management by dissertation, specialising in Lion Ecology in the Associated Private Nature Reserves in the Greater Timbavati Region, South Africa.

Established the Global White Lion Protection Trust together with Linda Tucker, who secured the White Lion Heartlands in the core of their natural endemic habitat, an area that is now approximately 2000 hectares in size.

Initiated the world-first rehabilitation and introduction programme of White Lions to their natural habitat.

Released the first White Lions back into their ancestral Heartlands within the UNESCO Kruger-to-Canyons Biosphere, after many years of apparent extinction in their natural habitat due to repeated artificial removals over more than six decades.

Presented to South African Parliament calling for legislation to prohibit “canned lion hunting”: captive breeding to kill lions.

Successfully introduced 2 prides of White Lions, integrated with wild tawny lions, to free-roaming conditions in their ancestral Heartlands.

Initiated the collaborative international study that identified the genetic marker for the White Lions in September 2013.

Collaborated with other big cat scientists at a conference convened by the Global Big Cat Alliance, hosted by the Global White Lion Protection Trust.

Published a ground-breaking scientific paper proving that White Lions hunt as successfully as wild tawny lions under free-roaming conditions at the Tsau Conservancy.

Continued with the environmental management of the Tsau White Lion Heartlands and conducted field research on the reintroduced White Lion prides that were integrated with wild golden lions in their endemic region.

Introducing new White Lion bloodlines to promote genetic diversity.

Became a member of the Lion Management Forum (LMF) in South Africa – association for the responsible management of lions in fenced wildlife areas, as part of the metapopulation management approach.

On-going field research on the introduced free-roaming White Lion prides in the White Lion Heartlands. In June 2018, was accepted for a PhD at Leiden University (Netherlands): Conservation Management and Ecology of the White Lion in the UNESCO Kruger-to-Canyons Biosphere, South Africa. Promotors: Prof Hans de Iongh and Prof Gerard Persoon; Co-Promotor: Dr Harry Wels.