Anton Mzimba (1980-2022)
Born:
February 11, 1980
Died:
July 26, 2022
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, 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 there 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. Anton was also a technical advisor to the Global Conservation Corps, keeping them up to date with the challenges the people and animals were facing inside and outside of the park.His role 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. From 2008 on, local navigators working together with experienced and heavily armed shooters, illegally hunted and killed 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.On July 26th, Anton was murdered at his home because of his life's passion - protecting rhinos, conserving nature, and fighting for a better future. His legacy will continue to live on through his 25 years of dedicated work, the many people he touched, and his story as told in the film Rhino Man.After his death in 2022, Anton was awarded Best Game Ranger at the African Conservation Awards. On the anniversary of his death in 2023, he was awarded an IUCN WCPA international Ranger Award. These are two of the highest honors a ranger can receive for a life dedicated to their work. The film Rhino Man captures his life, death, and legacy, leaving an inspirational story for generations to come.