The Team

DEDICATED CONSERVATIONISTS

We are a passionate and professional team of conservationists actively protecting the future for endangered animals. The Wildlife ACT founding members are Dr Simon Morgan, Chris Kelly and Johan Maree, together having over 25-years of ecology experience. We are competently assisted by wildlife monitors that run the day-to-day activities at the reserves - these people are charismatic conservationists who are mostly from research or field guide backgrounds. We all share a love for animals, adventure and preserving the unique environment in South Africa within which we are able to work.

I was born in Zimbabwe, but spent the majority of my childhood and completed most of my schooling in South Africa. Our adventurous, outdoor family holidays back in the north of Zimbabwe and in Southern Africa created within me a love and appreciation of the outdoors, and it wasn’t long before a desire to conserve these natural areas and the wildlife that they offer us started to grow within me.

After completing a degree in Zoology at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape, I moved to Zululand where I was employed as a Black Rhino monitor. I have since completed a PhD degree through the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and am currently publishing papers on the information I have gathered.

It was during this process that we noticed the need for the enhancement and outsourcing of existing monitoring programs and for new monitoring programs to be established and run on reserves across Zululand, and so the Wildlife African Conservation Team was born.

Chris Kelly

I grew up and completed my schooling on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. While growing up, I was fortunate enough to visit numerous game reserves in South Africa and grew especially fond of the wildlife and reserves in Zululand.

After my schooling I completed my diploma in Nature Conservation at Saasveld College in the Western Cape. Whilst completing my practical training along Zululand's coastline monitoring turtles and crocodiles within the Greater St. Lucia Wetland Park Heritage Site, I developed a keen interest in game capture and soon thereafter found myself managing and running a chemical and passive game capture for a private company.

During this time I noted the need and the importance of post-release monitoring efforts of the priority species we moved onto reserves. This led me onto my next experience: working as a researcher and post-release monitor of Black Rhino in conjunction with the WWF-Black Rhino Range Expansion Project in Zululand. Enjoying the monitoring operations of my work I decided to move into a permanent post at Mkhuze Game Reserve where I oversee all monitoring operations.

I had noted, after working on a fair number of reserves across South Africa, the need for properly managed and funded monitoring programs on reserves which had priority species. Following this the three of us got together and established Wildlife ACT in Zululand.

Johan Maree

I grew up in a small town in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, close to Zululand, and was fortunate enough to enjoy many wildlife adventures as a youngster. After my schooling I attended Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape where I completed my degree in commerce and economics. It was during our university days that Simon, Chris and I crossed paths for the first time and became friends.

I moved to Cape Town to complete my postgraduate degree, and then started working for one of the big advertising and marketing agencies in South Africa, which amongst others, handled the marketing for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Southern Africa.

Growing up in rural Africa, I have always been aware of the fact that wildlife conservation efforts and community development needs did not always meet. This is when I made the decision to leave the 9 to 5 world and help establish Wildlife ACT, a company which could address this mismatch between wildlife conservation and social upliftment of rural communities. I'm so proud to be one of the founding members of an organisation that has the ability to make such a big contribution to the sustainable preservation of one of the world's most diverse and threatened ecosystems.

Michelle Swemmer

WILDLIFE MONITOR: THANDA

I was born and raised in Durban, and by Standard 8 (or Grade 10 as it is now) I already knew that a 9 to 5 office job in the city was not for me. While finishing high school, I worked weekends as a volunteer at Sea World, spending many enjoyable, though messy hours, feeding the fish and cleaning the tanks! Most of my school holidays were spent either attending Eco-career camps or qualifying for my advanced open-water diving certification. Although I love the ocean and the many wonders that it contains, and have recently gained my skippers license, I've always felt a strong pull towards the "bush", especially northern KwaZulu-Natal where I spent many happy family holidays.

My parents, nature lovers themselves, supported my quest for an "outdoor" career (though male dominated at that time), and after school I attended a 2 year Game Ranging, Lodge and Game Farm Management course which provided a general overview of the Eco-tourism industry. At the same time becoming an Honorary Officer (a volunteer) with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. I then spent 6 years as a Game Ranger / Field Guide on Big 5 Reserves in Zululand where I gained considerable experience and insight into the various aspects of Game Farming as well as Conservation needs and problems.

Although I enjoyed my work as a Field Guide, and interacting with visitors from around the World, it was during this time that I realized my main focus and passion was for the conservation and preservation of nature itself and all that it encompasses. I moved back home to Durban at the beginning of 2009, to further my training by enrolling for a degree in Nature Conservation through UNISA. However the call of the bush was too strong and it was while doing temporary work in Zululand, between my assignments and exams that I was fortunate enough to meet up with the team from Wildlife ACT. My position with them, monitoring the priority species while also hosting volunteers, is both interesting and fulfilling and still enables me to continue with my studies part time. Learning while contributing - the best of both worlds.

Cilla Pickering

WILDLIFE MONITOR: TEMBE

I grew up on a farm in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, so my youth was spent between there and my grandfather's farm in the Drakensberg, south of Lotheni Reserve. It was here that my appreciation for the outdoors first began.

After boarding school in Pietermaritzburg, I went off to University in the Eastern Cape where I majored in Politics and Economics. My love for the outdoors, coupled with my interest in rural Africa, meant that my Post-graduate Degree was focused on Environmental Economics and Social Development. After a short stint as a Research Assistant near the Kruger Park, I realised that this was the field I wanted to work in. Soon after, I was lucky enough to join the Research Team at Tembe Elephant Park as the lion and wild dog Monitor; and I have now joined Wildlife ACT. I am so excited to be part of such an exciting organisation; not only is the work being done essential, it provides ample amounts of adventure...

Marumo Nene

ROTATIONAL WILDLIFE MONITOR

I was born in Hlabisa, a town in Northern KwaZulu-Natal (Zululand). I grew up and attended school there, after which I moved to Durban to study Public Relations through UNISA. For my Public Relations In-service Training I was placed at Hilltop Camp in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve. After observing and speaking to the field staff and rangers there, I realised that Public Relations was not what I really wanted to do - my real desire was to work in the outdoors.

I then joined Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife as part of an Alien Plant Removal project in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Game Reserve. After that I completed my Community Guide Training, worked as an assistant on the African Wild Dog monitoring project, and as a Community Environmental Educator. I was working as part of a Game Count team in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Reserve when I heard about the monitoring position in Mkhuze Game Reserve. That was in 2008, and since then I have been part of the Wildlife ACT team as the Wildlife Monitor on Mkhuze.

This year my position has changed once more as I have taken over from Byron Pearce as the rotational monitor on all 4 Reserves, which is an exciting new challenge for me. The main reason I enjoy my job is that I get to work with endangered species, which I love, and that I get to meet so many different people from around the world!

Bronwen Kelly

Social Media Liaison & Volunteer Bookings

I grew up on a farm near Pietermaritzburg, in KwaZulu-Natal. After completing high school I worked for a few years before attending the University of KwaZulu-Natal to complete my honours degree in BSocSc Media. While at varsity I was active in the student newspaper and was a tutor for first year students, as well as doing part-time work for some NGO's (Non-Governmental Organisations) in the area.

It was during my final university years that I met Dennis Kelly, a Section Ranger in Mkhuze Game Reserve, which is how I came to be involved with and love the Reserve. Dennis and I are now married, and I live in the Reserve and work for Wildlife ACT as the social media liaison and also handle the volunteer enquiries and placements.

Having spent my childhood on a farm amongst a variety of tame and wild animals, I love living in Zululand and consider myself very fortunate to be able to enjoy the beauty and variety of experiences that surround us here in Mkhuze, every day.