Anton Mzimba is a ranger at the Timbavati Private Game Reserve. Timbavati is located in northeast South Africa, near Kruger National Park. In this episode, Anton takes us into the life of a ranger. He talks about what it is like to stand up to poachers and the enormous cost rangers like him must bear in doing so. We also learn about the communities near Timbavati and how all of us have a role in helping them become more prosperous for their residents.

GCC Involvement: Technical Advisor
Currently working on: Protecting the animals despite the challenges from COVID-19.
Favorite animal: Zebra

Head of Field Ranger Services
Timbavati Private Nature Reserve

As a young boy, Anton dreamed of becoming a soldier. He admired their uniforms, their strength, noticing how proud they were as they marched with their firearms. Life took him on another path to construction, but the dream never left him. After working in construction on the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, his hard work was noticed by the general manager of the reserve and he was offered a permanent position.

From here he trained to be a field ranger and worked his way up the ranks from junior ranger to senior ranger, corporal, sergeant, to head of ranger services today. Anton is also technical advisor to GCC, keeping them up to date with challenges the people and animals are facing inside and outside of the park.

His role has drastically changed from the early days of being a field ranger when he just had to patrol the park for meat poachers working with snares, dogs and spears. Today local navigators work together with experienced heavily armed shooters to kill rhinos for their horns, making the work of the ranger more dangerous than ever. Anton ended up being a soldier of sorts after all, putting his life on the line to protect some of the world’s most endangered species.