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 32) Zurich, Switzerland |
| Website | https://www.deanschneider.com/ |
Biography
editDean 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
edit
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]
Partnerships and financial problems
editSchneider 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]
Controversy
editIn 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.
References
edit- ^ a b c d ""Die Basis von Selbstbestimmung ist Leidenschaft"". Vorsorge- und Finanzlösungen von Swiss Life (in Swiss High German). Retrieved 2024-06-09.
- ^ a b Magazine, Nargis (2020-05-14). "Dean Schneider's Lion Heart". Nargis magazine | Журнал Nargis. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
- ^ a b ""Lion King" Dean Schneider and Norqain CEO Ben Küffer's shared values make their partnership successful". www.optionstheedge.com. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
- ^ "Przytula lwy, bawi się z hieną i wężami. "Ten facet powinien mieć program na Netflixie!"". Papilot.pl (in Polish). 2020-04-11. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
- ^ Flanagan, Jane (2020-05-01). "Instagram's lion king Dean Schneider risks wrath of the pride by punching cub on video". The Times. Archived from the original on 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
- ^ "Accusé d'avoir boxé un lion, un Suisse se défend". Le Matin (in French). 2020-05-05. Retrieved 2021-02-28.
