Dean Schneider is a Swiss animal sanctuary founder and social media personality based in South Africa.
He studied finance and at age 21, became an entrepreneur and created his own financial planning company. After three years, he had over fifty employees.
He was a banker and financial planner in Switzerland before moving to South Africa in 2017.
There, he established a wildlife sanctuary and rehabilitation center, Hakuna Mipaka (Swahili for “no limits”).
It is a 400 ha (4 square kilometer) estate for lions born in captivity.
A separate area hosts zebras, impalas, kudu, hyenas, baboons and cheetahs
Schneider flew to Africa more than a dozen times to visit land, making contacts, seeking sponsors, and developing a 70-page management plan while waiting for grants.
He did all these before moving to South Africa.
Schneider shares, on social media, interactions with wildlife with the support of a personal assistant and a content manager.
As of November 2020, Schneider has 9.4 million followers on Instagram.
He spends up to seven hours a day on Instagram and answers approximately 800 comments and posts in different languages.[3][4]
Steve Irwin inspired him to help people connect with wildlife.
In May 2020, UK’s The Times newspaper reported that Schneider is the subject of an animal abuse.
Investigation by South Africa’s animal welfare agency with regard to a video Schneider had uploaded of himself striking at one of his lion cubs with his fist after one of its claws caught on his shoulder.[5]
He defended his actions and explained the lion was unharmed as he was teaching about its boundaries.
Photos Of Dean Schneider with his wild animal pets
Dean love wild animals and always want to be with them.