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Ep 6: Anton Mzimba – Life of a ranger at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
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On the evening of July 26th, 2022, our dear friend Anton Mzimba was brutally gunned down at his home in front of his family, by what was presumed to have been hitmen from a rhino poaching syndicate. He always said he knew the risks. The risks of being a ranger. The risks of sharing his story. But that doesn’t change the fact that his loss is devastating. He could have done so much more. This podcast episode may be the last interview Anton gave. In it he gives us his life story, his hopes, and his dreams. May your legacy forever live on, my friend. 🦏🙏❤️
In this episode, I’m talking with my good friend, Anton Mzimba. Anton has been a field ranger in South Africa for over 24 years, and he is currently the Head of Security for the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve. In 2016, he won Best Field Ranger at the Rhino Conservation Awards. Anton also serves as a technical advisor for the Global Conservation Corps.
In this conversation, we talk about how Anton became a ranger, his days of training rangers at the Southern African Wildlife College, the role of a ranger and how it has changed over the years, the emotional toll of facing armed poachers, and how to navigate family life with a job that takes you away from home for long periods of time. We also dig into potential solutions to poaching, which include working closely with local communities, and we get Anton’s thoughts on the coming release of Rhino Man.
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Website: timbavatiprivatenaturereserve.org
Instagram: @timbavati_pnr
Facebook: @timbavatiprivatenaturereserve
Ep 56: Kurt Steiner – Conservation Law Enforcement and Creating the Ranger Rifle.
Sponsored by Wildlife & Co. Wildlife & Co. is on a mission to protect Earth’s ecosystems and wildlife. Buy amazing apparel and support conservation. Visit wildlifeandco.com
Our guest in this episode is Kurt Steiner. Kurt is a long-time conservation law enforcement innovator and the creator of the Ranger Rifle. Among his many roles over the years, he was the Head of Law Enforcement at African Parks Network from 2025-2017. While there he was responsible for the development and implementation of a law enforcement strategy for increasing from 600 to 1,100 counter poaching rangers, across multiple regions in 12 countries.
In this conversation, we dive deep into Kurt’s path into conservation law enforcement. We dig into what it means to be a ranger, aspects of ranger training, what he learned during his time in the Congo, and what rangers need to be effective and well-supported. Kurt takes us through the process of developing and testing the Ranger Rifle, and why there is such a need for this specialized firearm.
Kurt is full of wisdom and great stories. His passion for rangers shines through in everything he does.
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Instagram: @ranger.rifle
Website: ranger-rifle.com
LinkedIn: @Kurt Steiner
Ep 55: Nick Smith – RHINO MAN’s DP on filmmaking, photography and a life of travel.
Sponsored by Wildlife & Co. Wildlife & Co. is on a mission to protect Earth’s ecosystems and wildlife. Buy amazing apparel and support conservation. Visit wildlifeandco.com
Our guest in this episode is my friend, Nick Smith. Nick is an experienced DP and photographer based in Atlanta, Georgia. He’s shot all over the world for amazing brands and nonprofits. Nick is also the Director of Photography of RHINO MAN, and he lead the project with his work for 3 years before my involvement.
In this conversation, we talk about Nick’s journey in the world of RHINO MAN, along with his love of photography and travel. Nick is a humble guy, and one of the most inspiring people I know.
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Instagram: @nickjsmiths
Facebook: @smithijedi
Website: nicksmithphotos.com
LinkedIn: @Nick Smith
Ep 54: Fedrick Ndlovu – Life lessons from a ranger at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
Sponsored by Wildlife & Co. Wildlife & Co. is on a mission to protect Earth’s ecosystems and wildlife. Buy amazing apparel and support conservation. Visit wildlifeandco.com
Our guest today is my friend, Fedrick Ndlovu. Fedrick is a long-time ranger at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve.
In this episode, we dive into Fedrick’s path into becoming a ranger, and how it almost didn’t happen because of a government mixup. We talk about his early days on the reserve facing the new threat of rhino poaching, and his rise up through the ranger ranks. We cover the effects of COVID on the team in 2020, leadership advice, what it was like working with the RHINO MAN team, and the loss of Anton Mzimba.
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Instagram: @ndlovufedrick | @timbavati_pnr
Facebook: @Fedrick Ndlovu | @Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
Twitter: @timbavati
LinkedIn: @Timbavati Private Nature Reserve
Ep 53: Don Scott – Tanda Tula, education, ownership, and hyper-local supply chains.
Sponsored by Wildlife & Co. Wildlife & Co. is on a mission to protect Earth’s ecosystems and wildlife. Buy amazing apparel and support conservation. Visit wildlifeandco.com
Our guest in this episode is Don Scott. Don along with his wife, Nina, are owners and operators of Tanda Tula, a beautiful Safari Camp in the heart of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in South Africa.
In this conversation, we dive into Don’s early career in aerospace engineering, and how he and Nina found their way into conservation. We talk about the risks and challenges of owning and operating a business in the bush. We go into the positive impact they seek to have through education and literacy efforts, creating pathways for growth and ownership within their company, and developing the local wildlife economy to grow and connect with more locally owned businesses in the Kruger area. We also talk about the importance of rangers, and what you should look for in the companies and lodges you’re supporting when you’re traveling to wildlife areas.
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Instagram: @don.m.scott | @tanda.tula
Facebook: @TandaTula
Twitter: @TandaTula
TikTok: @tandatula
LinkedIn: @Don Scott | @Tanda Tula
Ep 52: Timothy Santel – Focused Conservation and Criminal Investigations with the USFWS.
Subscribe, Rate, and Listen to The Rhino Man Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud, YouTube, and Amazon today!
In this episode, I’m talking with Timothy Santel. Tim is currently the Senior Advisor on International Wildlife Trafficking programs for Focused Conservation, which is a nonprofit changing the game in the battle against wildlife crime through investigations, government support, and information sharing. Tim spent over 33 years working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and retired as a Special Agent in Charge of their Special Investigations Unit. Tim developed and oversaw a team of elite covert federal agents tasked with investigating transnational criminal organizations that were illegally trafficking wildlife. In recognition of his efforts, Tim received numerous awards throughout his career including the prestigious Guy Bradley Award, Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal, and North American Wildlife Officer of the Year.
In this conversation, we go deep into the work being done at Focused Conservation, why what they are doing is important to the cause, and how you can support. We dive into Tim’s progression from growing up in a rural Midwestern town in the US, to becoming a law enforcement agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We go into many of his experiences on the job and investigations including Operation Crash, which resulted in nearly 50 prosecutions globally for trafficking in rhino horns and elephant ivory. Tim is generous with his stories and his wisdom.
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Instagram: @focused.conservation
Facebook: @FocusedConservation
Twitter: @FocusedConserve
LinkedIn: @Timothy Santel | @Focused Conservation
Ep 51: Chris Galliers – The future of rangers and the International Ranger Federation.
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In this episode I’m talking with Chris Galliers. Chris is the current President of the International Ranger Federation and we go deep on everything rangers, on this World Ranger Day. He is also the manager of Conservation Outcomes, which was created to provide support to land that is being developed and managed for biodiversity conservation outside of traditional state protected areas. Chris has been on the executive committee for the Game Rangers Association of Africa, and was the Senior Manager of Wildlife and Conservation Initiatives at WESSA.
In this conversation, we dive into Chris’s youth growing up on a dairy farm in rural KwaZulu-Natal and the curiosity that led him into the conservation field. We talk about the importance of rangers, the balance of conserving spaces while supporting growth, staying optimistic in work that can feel like a constant battle, and we go deep on the International Ranger Federation. Chris talks about the next World Ranger Congress, the Chitwan Declaration and the Universal Ranger Support Alliance, and the International Ranger Awards. Chris is deeply passionate about rangers, conservation, and his work. You won’t want to miss this wide ranging conversation.
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Instagram: @chrisgalliers | @int_ranger_fed
Facebook: @chris.galliers.5 | @InternationalRangerFederation
Twitter: @ursa4rangers
LinkedIn: @Chris Galliers | @Universal Ranger Support Alliance