Dean Schneider

Dean Schneider is a Swiss former entrepreneur, animal sanctuary founder, wildlife conservationist, and social media personality living in South Africa.

Biography
Dean Schneider was born on October 3, 1992, in Zurich. His mother is from Croatia, and his father is a Swiss citizen. From a young age, Schneider was passionate about nature, drawing inspiration from his idol, Steve Irwin.

During his school years, Schneider struggled with concentration problems, resulting in poor academic performance. Despite not being admitted to college due to low grades, he became an entrepreneur and founded his own financial company at the age of 21. After achieving financial success, Schneider sold his company to dedicate his life to wildlife conservation. In 2017, he moved to South Africa and used his wealth to establish an animal sanctuary, the Hakuna Mipaka Oasis.

By sharing educational wildlife content and daily stories of his life with wild animals, Schneider gained a global audience. As of October 2023, he has 10 million followers on Instagram, 10 million on TikTok, and 8,8 million on YouTube.

Hakuna Mipaka Oasis
Hakuna Mipaka ("no limits" in Swahili) spans approximately 400 hectares (four million square meters) in the South African wilderness. The sanctuary serves as a lifelong home for various animals, including lions, cheetahs, capuchin monkeys, meerkats, hyenas, and reptiles, rescued from different captive environments. In addition to large enclosures for all animals, there is a Live Wild Reserve covering 60,000 square meters (ultimately expanding to 2,000,000 square meters) designed specifically for rescued lions. Hakuna Mipaka also runs rehabilitation programs for animals, aiming to release them back into the wild.

The exact location of Hakuna Mipaka Oasis is not publicly shared, and it is not open to tourists or the general public.

Partnerships and financial problems
Despite his large following on social media, Schneider faces financial challenges in maintaining Hakuna Mipaka. 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.

Controversy
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 with his fist after it scratched his face, causing a bleeding wound above his right eye. Schneider defended his actions, stating the lion was unharmed and that he was teaching it about boundaries. The matter eventually subsided without any consequences.