南アフリカ・現役サファリレンジャーの語る！「野生の呼ぶ声に応えて…」（原題：Answering the call of the wild…）

Growing up a very ordinary young man, finished high school, went to university (although nothing quite seemed to fit… I tried several courses, but the one thing I gravitated to was teaching)

I ended up studying sport science and lecturing in the sports and health sector. But i was always happiest outdoors, I took a chance and pursued my boyhood dream of playing rugby abroad… I followed this dream for 5 years… miserable, I was outdoors but in snow and rain…my heart longed to be home in the South Africa. I wanted to show everyone I had met on this journey how beautiful South Africa truly is.

Whilst playing abroad, I had travelled home many times and I would frequent “the bush” regularly on safari, it was one of my favourite holiday activities. Until one day I was on safari and my guide and I got chatting, he said something I have never forgotten… he asked me “why do you constantly do this for a holiday when you could do it as a job?”

This triggered something within me and I began looking into what was needed and the journey was officially in motion. I moved back to South Africa, and shortly afterwards, I arrived at Bhejane Nature Training, where I was taught by the incredible Dylan Panos & Stephen Ingram (speg). 

I started guiding big 5 shortly after finishing my course, I was again very fortunate to work under an amazing head guide in Jessie Hartig. He instilled some valuable lessons in me and mentored me in a way I will forever be grateful for. This is roughly where my passion for photography began, being able to share what I had been privileged enough to see with the world. I now actually had the opportunity to showcase South Africa for what it is truly about.

Fast forward a few years after moving around a bit, guiding around the country, and you’ll now find me at Jabulani Safari on Kapama Game Reserve, in the role of Head Guide.

Jabulani is an incredibly special place doing amazing things for conservation. Our integration with HERD is incredible on its own. Herd is a rescue and rehabilitation centre for elephants and is second to none. The facilities and staff are devoted to the well-being of the elephants. 

There are currently 15 elephants, with each elephant so unique in its character and personality, it becomes mesmerising just simply observing them. The original herd was rescued from Zimbabwe. With the study of elephants we are learning daily, with no exact science on what works and what doesn’t. But with the herd coming from various backgrounds initially, they had come to be very accepting of others, with all the adult cows being afforded the opportunity to calf and raise a young… to maintain their maternal instincts.

We have since successfully integrated various elephants not related physically, with the likes of  Jabulani and Khanyisa for example.

The elephants however are now on birth control and hormone suppressants, to ensure we are not a breeding facility, but rather as mentioned previously a rescue & rehabilitation facility.

We are also involved and support HESC, the Hoedspruit endangered species centre, where a large focus is placed on increasing the cheetah population.

It’s hard to pinpoint one exact moment but the time I have spent with scratchy a young female leopard stand out as well as being able to help other guides reach their potential… recently being joined on the team by my girlfriend has sparked my passion in a big way and pushed me to be the best guide possible.

This job is tough both mentally and emotionally, however playing a big role in shaping lifelong memories and bucket list adventures with guests is always so rewarding, the feeling of making that experience is unexplainable

For me personally I am finally in the right place to do what I love most, teach and positively influence people. I have decided to move my social media focus from instagram to YouTube, where I aim to interact and engage more with my audience… using it as a tool to bring about awareness on important and relevant conservation issues & lessons.