Check out Podcast Episode 4 of Pull The Thread: The Wild Life.
This episode is named Incorruptible in reference to the late Anton Mzimba, whose life and death are featured along with the RHINO MAN story. It includes interviews with Leitah Mkhabela. Orlat Ndlovu, Ruben de Kock, and John Jurko II. Check out the entire series on all of the podcast platforms.
This episode also goes into some of the complexities and historical wrongs that have made conservation efforts fraught with moral and ethical issues. However, they do not go into the many efforts to change these dynamics for the better within the Timbavati and the Greater Kruger Area through education, access, pathways to careers in conservation, and local community ownership. It’s not a topic that can easily be given a full picture within 10 mins of a podcast episode. We have worked closely with the team at the Timbavati and they are some of the most caring, passionate, and dedicated in the space, striving to make positive change.
This episode also makes it seem as though RHINO MAN was John Jurko’s idea, however it was originally a promise to the rangers to tell their stories made by Matt Lindenberg of GCC during his time at the Southern African Wildlife College. In 2015, rangers were the unsung heroes working behind the scenes of conservation. John worked closely with Matt and the rangers of the Timbavati and SAWC to honor this promise.
There is still work being done to bring justice to Anton’s killers. To help make our voice heard, please sign our petition by visiting justiceforanton.org
FROM THE PODCAST:
Some compare illegal wildlife trafficking to a war. On the front line are the poachers and the game rangers. Syndicates often rely on the corruptibility of these poorly-paid rangers to be information providers and protectors. Anton Mzimba, a guardian of rhinos and other big game in South Africa, refused to be one of them.
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