Dean Schneider (October 3, 1992) is a Swiss former entrepreneur, animal sanctuary founder, wildlife conservationist, and social media personality living in South Africa.
Dean Schneider | |
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| Born | 1992, October, 3 (age 31) Zurich, Switzerland |
| Website | https://www.deanschneider.com/ |
Dean Schneider was born in Zurich. From a young age, Schneider was passionate about nature, drawing inspiration from his idol, Steve Irwin. [1]
Schneider launched a financial company at age 21 and sold it to dedicate his life to wildlife conservation. After selling his business, Schneider moved to South Africa in 2017 and established the Hakuna Mipaka Oasis, an animal sanctuary for rescued wildlife. [1] [2]
As of October 2024, Schneider has over 11 million followers on Instagram, 10.5 million on TikTok and YouTube alike. [3]
Hakuna Mipaka Oasis, meaning "no limits" in Swahili, covers about 400 hectares in South Africa. The sanctuary houses various animals, including lions, cheetahs, capuchin monkeys, meerkats, hyenas, and reptiles. It features large enclosures and a dedicated area, the Live Wild Reserve, for rescued lions. The sanctuary also conducts rehabilitation programs aimed at releasing some animals back into the wild. [4] [3]
Hakuna Mipaka Oasis keeps its location private and does not allow public or tourist access. [1] [2]
Schneider has faced financial challenges in maintaining Hakuna Mipaka Oasis. He acknowledges that his income from social media is insufficient to cover all costs and that he cannot rely consistently on donations, particularly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schneider has been hesitant to enter into partnerships with large brands, preferring to maintain his values and mission. [1]
In May 2020, UK's The Times reported that Schneider was under investigation by South Africa's animal welfare agency following a video he uploaded, in which he struck one of his lion cubs on the paw after it scratched his face, causing a bleeding wound above his right eye. [5] Schneider defended his actions, stating the lion was unharmed and that he was teaching it about boundaries. [6] The matter eventually subsided without any consequences.
Species reintroduction is the deliberate release of a species into the wild, from captivity or other areas where the organism is capable of survival. The goal of species reintroduction is to establish a healthy, genetically diverse, self-sustaining population to an area where it has been extirpated, or to augment an existing population. Species that may be eligible for reintroduction are typically threatened or endangered in the wild. However, reintroduction of a species can also be for pest control; for example, wolves being reintroduced to a wild area to curb an overpopulation of deer. Because reintroduction may involve returning native species to localities where they had been extirpated, some prefer the term "reestablishment".
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Yadvendradev Vikramsinh Jhala is an Indian scientist and conservationist who recently ended his tenure as the Dean at the Wildlife Institute of India in Dehradun.
