Pombia Safari Park

Pombia Safari Park is a combined safari park, zoological facility and amusement attraction located in Pombia, in Italy's Piedmont region. Established in 1976 by Angelo Lombardi, it occupies approximately 400,000 square metres and is organized around two principal parts: a drive-through or safari-oriented animal area and a separate entertainment zone with attractions for visitors. Its location in northern Italy places it within reach of the wider Piedmont and Lombardy tourism markets. The park was created as an animal-focused attraction but later developed a broader leisure proposition combining wildlife viewing, family recreation and amusement activities. The original structure experienced a gradual decline before being acquired by Orfeo Triberti, who has been identified as its owner since 1999. Under Triberti's ownership, the park underwent recovery and expansion, repositioning it as a more diversified destination rather than a conventional zoo alone. Its animal collection has included large African and Asian mammals, hoofstock, primates, birds and domestic species. Listed animals have included cheetahs, tigers, African lions, hyenas, ring-tailed lemurs, southern white rhinoceroses, Grant's and Chapman's zebras, hippopotamuses, Rothschild's giraffes, common elands, scimitar oryx, nyala, waterbuck, gemsbok, addax, roan antelopes, Barbary sheep, American bison, wild yak, hamadryas baboons, great white pelicans and several camelid, equine and farm-animal species. The precise collection can change over time as animals are transferred, born, retired or managed under zoological-welfare requirements. The park has also presented conservation and research as part of its institutional role. It entered into a collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Turin concerning research into the pathology and welfare of farm animals and the conservation of species at risk of extinction. This relationship connects the attraction's public-facing zoological activities with veterinary and conservation research. One notable episode in the park's history involved white lions. In 2004, a pair imported from a German park produced a litter, but the cubs died within their first month following complications at birth, inadequate maternal milk and a viral infection despite intensive care. In 2006, the same pair produced Ashanti, a white lioness that survived to adulthood and was reported as the first such successful survival in Italy. The account illustrates both the public interest surrounding unusual animal births and the veterinary challenges associated with captive breeding. In 2011, the park established SOS Elephants, a nonprofit foundation focused on the conservation of Borneo's pygmy elephants in Sabah, Malaysia. The initiative was intended to support the long-term survival of the species through technical, financial and administrative assistance, protected-area management, captive-breeding and research support, and participation in broader conservation planning. From 2014, the park promoted additional visitor support for the foundation, including the allocation of a portion of ticket revenue. The stated long-term ambition associated with the project was to help create a reserve-like area in Borneo where the elephants could live and reproduce. Pombia Safari Park therefore operates at the intersection of regional tourism, family entertainment, zoological exhibition, animal care, education and conservation fundraising. Public information does not establish a separate corporate parent, stock-market listing or international chain structure. Its identity remains closely tied to the Pombia site and to the combination of safari experiences, animal exhibits, amusement facilities and conservation-oriented initiatives.

Pombia Safari Park was founded in 1976 by Angelo Lombardi in Pombia, a town in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. The site developed as a large-scale animal and leisure attraction covering about 400,000 square metres. Rather than functioning solely as a traditional urban zoo, it combined a safari-oriented area with an entertainment section, creating a destination model that brought together wildlife observation and family amusement. Over time, the original park structure entered a period of gradual decline. In 1999, it was acquired by Orfeo Triberti, who is identified as the owner in reference material. The acquisition marked a change in the site's trajectory. Under Triberti's ownership, the park underwent recovery and expansion, reinforcing its position as a broad regional attraction. Its operating concept came to include animal exhibits, safari experiences and amusement facilities, with the Pombia site remaining the core of the brand. Animal management has been a visible part of the park's history. The collection has included predators such as cheetahs, tigers, African lions and hyenas; primates including ring-tailed lemurs and hamadryas baboons; large herbivores such as southern white rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, zebras, antelopes and bison; and a range of domestic or farm animals. The variety reflects the park's dual role as a public attraction and a managed zoological collection. A particularly publicized episode concerned the breeding of white lions. In 2004, Flash and Moon, a pair imported from a German park, produced a litter after a gestation of approximately three months. Complications during delivery required pharmaceutical intervention. The cubs were separated from the mother from the second day because of inadequate milk production. Although staff used incubators and bottle feeding, the cubs contracted a virus and died before reaching one month of age. In 2006, the same pair produced Ashanti. She was removed from parental care because the mother did not adequately care for her and was raised with a high-protein milk substitute. Ashanti survived into adulthood and was described as the first white lion born in Italy to achieve that outcome. The park has also pursued links with academic and veterinary institutions. A collaboration with the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Turin covered research relating to farm-animal pathology and welfare, as well as conservation of species at risk of extinction. This work gave the park a connection to applied animal-health research beyond its visitor operations. In July 2011, Pombia Safari Park founded SOS Elephants, a nonprofit organization focused on Borneo's pygmy elephants, particularly populations in Sabah, Malaysia. Its stated objectives include supporting the long-term survival of the species, providing technical and administrative assistance to conservation programs, contributing to the management of protected areas, supporting captive-breeding and research initiatives in countries of origin, and helping formulate a comprehensive captive-breeding plan. In 2014, the park promoted the foundation more actively and linked support to ticket sales. The associated vision was to help establish a reserve-like environment in Borneo where the elephants could live and increase their numbers. Today, Pombia Safari Park is best understood as a site-specific Italian leisure and zoological brand rather than a multinational chain. Its proposition combines safari-style encounters, animal exhibits, amusement activities and conservation messaging. Publicly available reference material does not identify a listed parent company, a stock ticker or a broader corporate group. The park's historical development has instead centered on the Pombia property, its ownership under Orfeo Triberti, animal-care programs, academic collaboration and wildlife-conservation initiatives.

• 2014

  SOS Elephants visitor-support initiative

  [1]Pombia Safari Parken.wikipedia.org

  The park promoted additional support for SOS Elephants and linked part of ticket revenue to the conservation initiative.

• 2011

  SOS Elephants created

  [1]Pombia Safari Parken.wikipedia.org

  The park established a nonprofit foundation to support conservation of Borneo's pygmy elephants in Sabah, Malaysia.

• 2006

  Ashanti white lion born

  [1]Pombia Safari Parken.wikipedia.org

  Ashanti was born to the same white-lion pair and survived to adulthood after being hand-reared, a result described as the first successful survival of its kind in Italy.

• 2004

  White lion breeding attempt

  [1]Pombia Safari Parken.wikipedia.org

  A white-lion pair produced a litter, but the cubs died within a month after birth complications, inadequate maternal milk and a viral infection.

• 1999

  Acquisition by Orfeo Triberti

  [1]Pombia Safari Parken.wikipedia.org

  Orfeo Triberti acquired the park after the older structure had experienced a gradual decline, followed by a period of recovery and expansion.

• 1976

  Park founded

  [1]Pombia Safari Parken.wikipedia.org

  Angelo Lombardi established Pombia Safari Park in Pombia, Piedmont, as a large safari, zoo and amusement attraction.

A regional Italian family destination combining safari-style wildlife viewing, zoological exhibits, amusement activities and conservation education.

• Wildlife attraction · 1976

  Safari Park

  The park's central safari-oriented area provides visitors with opportunities to observe a broad collection of wild and domestic animals in a large outdoor setting. Referenced species include African predators, rhinoceroses, giraffes, zebras, hippopotamuses, antelopes, primates, bison, camelids and farm animals. The exact animal population may change over time under zoological-management and welfare requirements.

• Amusement and family recreation

  Entertainment area

  A separate entertainment zone complements the animal-focused safari area with amusement and family-leisure activities. Together, the two areas make Pombia Safari Park a day-trip destination rather than a facility dedicated only to zoological viewing.

• Conservation initiative · 2011

  SOS Elephants

  SOS Elephants is a nonprofit foundation created by the park in 2011 to support Borneo's pygmy elephants. Its stated work includes technical and financial support, protected-area assistance, research, captive-breeding initiatives and conservation planning in Sabah and other relevant areas.

• 2014Expanded SOS Elephants support

  Italy · Malaysia

  The park encouraged visitors to provide greater support for SOS Elephants and associated the initiative with a share of admission-ticket revenue.

  Outcome. The stated long-term objective was to help create a reserve-like area in Borneo where pygmy elephants could live and reproduce.

  Source
• 2011SOS Elephants

  Italy · Malaysia

  Pombia Safari Park created a nonprofit conservation foundation dedicated to the survival of Borneo's pygmy elephants, with support directed toward protected areas, research, breeding initiatives and management capacity in Sabah.

  Outcome. The initiative continued as a conservation platform and later received additional promotion through the park's visitor-support activities.

  Source

• 2011

  Creation of a conservation foundationStrategy

  Background

  The park sought to extend its animal-focused role beyond on-site exhibits and support conservation in the species' native habitat.

  Action taken

  It established SOS Elephants to assist conservation of Borneo's pygmy elephants through funding, technical support, research and protected-area initiatives.

  Aftermath

  The foundation became a continuing conservation element associated with the park and was promoted to visitors from 2014 onward.

  Source

• 1999

  Acquisition and recovery programM&A

  Background

  The older park structure had undergone a gradual decline before Orfeo Triberti acquired the attraction.

  Action taken

  Triberti took ownership and pursued recovery and expansion of the site.

  Aftermath

  The park developed as a combined safari, zoo and entertainment destination.

  Source

1. 1Pombia Safari Parken.wikipedia.org
2. 2Pombia Safari Park official websitesafaripark.it