User:Christina Skytt/sandbox

GRANT FOWLDS, Born 18th July 1961 in Grahamstown is a South African conservationist and author with a commitment to African Biodiversity. He is one of the leading conservationists, speakers and consultants in Southern Africa, advocating with unlimited passion his love for the wild. Grant Fowlds is best known for his work in rhino Conservation. He hails from a rhino family with brother Dr. William Fowlds, dedicated to protecting Rhino, pioneers of a wildlife project called the Amakhala Game Reserve, a safari destination in South Africa’s Eastern Cape. As a founding of member of Amakhala, he pioneered marketing an unknown Tourism Destination Abroad for two decades taking the Reserve to many countries in the world selling Brand Africa and the lesser known Eastern Cape. When funds were limited he worked as a mercenary Maverick restoring a park in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he still has a Project with the Eastern Lowland Gorillas and the Pole Pole Foundation. Educated at St. Andrews College in Grahamstown and tertiary qualifications are a Diploma in Agriculture at Cedara College of Agriculture. Several

Nominations for Awards such as Tusk and Whitley Awards. Awarded Exploration medal by Explorers Club in New York for service to Conservation.
 * Director of Eliweni Wildlife -1999- to date
 * Founding member of the Loziba Wildlife Reserve www.loziba.com
 * Current Shareholder and Director of CWC Loziba
 * Founder of the Amakhala Game Reserve www.amakhala.co.za
 * Current Director of Project Rhino alliance NPC controlling 400,000 of rhino range expansions in South Africa www.projectrhinokzn.org
 * Board Member of Wild911 a 501c Non Profit in California USA
 * Founder Trustee of Rewilding Africa International CIC –in UK to be launch in July 2022: www.rewildingafrica.org.uk

For over a decade he has been involved in a private park restoration in Southern Africa and recently started consulting in West Africa. His knowledge and passion has been conveyed to thousands of youth in schools through community conservation awareness. This work created a much needed fund raising drive for an NGO with the aid of the corporate social investment portfolios which spells out the slogan “Stop Wildlife Crime”. During this learning event, Grant shares his experience in conservation and work with rhino protection. ·      Worked with Minister of Environment in Angola - 2019 to present 2022 ·      Worked with RDB in Kigali to assist Rwanda in Community Conservation- 2019 ·      Involved in support of Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park Democratic Republic of Congo fundraising for partner John Kahekwa www.polepolefoundation.org

Elephant Experience He became involved in Elephant range Expansion which lead him to a new grand vision several years ago to Rewild Land for the Expansion of Mega-herbivores. Two decades he took a herd of 10 elephants across 1600kms to create a New home for them at Amakhala in a drought Situation. Since then been involved in Funding, Moving and Education at Schools in the Elephant Art programme. In 2017 he discovered a group of Elephants on the Mawana Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal which were destined to be killed in a destruction permit. So far they have been saved in a New park expansion, but tragically lost his partner killed by an Elephant bull trying to protect the local villages from being raided by the same herd. This tragedy happened on the 18th Feb 2020. Grant has now dedicated these and other projects to try and move these large mammal’s safeties from the ever increasing human invasion.

Environmental Education When he is not actively working in the bush, Grant’s role as public speaker and an ambassador for Project Rhino has allowed him to increase community conservation awareness to thousands of youth in schools throughout the World. During the pandemic he co-Founded Feeding the Wildlife Community- feeding over two million meals to the conservation Community. He shares the vision of African Explorer Kingsley Holgate, with a goal to reach one million youth for education around preserving rhino, elephants and gorillas as well as other endangered species. He became a Humaniterian by accident and is a charity ambassador for Adidas. He speaks seven languages. Also Done work with USAID in Vietnam in Rhino Demand Reduction. More Recently, RCL foods and the DoMore Foundation have partnered with Early Childhood Development to provide nourishment and food to Crèches while talking environmental education. Visits to rural schools and crèches have provided avenues for School Shoes, water services, food gardens in rural Areas.

Books His first book titled ‘Saving the Last Rhinos- the life of a Frontline Conservationist’ was written together with the well known wildlife author Graham Spence. Grant has recently concluded his second book called ‘Rewilding Africa - restoring the wilderness on a war ravaged continent’.

Public Speaking on Conservation Work experience for over 2 decades has taken him on the Corporate, Rotary and Fund Raising Circuits in Australia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, United states, Canada, United Kingdom, Vietnam and several Countries in Africa. In 2019- was interviewed live on Sky news on the Rhino Crisis in London in Prime Time. In 2021, again on zoom on the Rhino Community Success story in Namibia.

More reading in News Articles https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/books/non-fiction/2019-11-14-on-the-front-lines-in-fight-for-rhinos/#:~:text=On%20the%20front,save%20iconic%20animals https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/rhino-numbers-drop-kruger-national-park https://www.heraldlive.co.za/weekend-post/your-weekend/2019-12-02-rollicking-true-life-adventure-celebrates-rhinos-and-people/ Project Rhino Alliance: Grant Fowlds www.grantfowlds.com