Neil Midlane
Group Impact Manager at Wilderness Safaris
A little bit about Neil…
Neil completed his undergraduate studies in the finance field at the University of Stellenbosch, graduating with an Honour’s Degree in Accounting, later qualifying as a Chartered Accountant. He then left the finance industry to work as a guide at Phinda Private Game Reserve for three years. This was then followed by a stint at Rand Merchant Bank in Johannesburg and Cape Town, during which he completed a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management, also through the University of Stellenbosch.
His connection to Wilderness Safaris goes back to 2010, when, with the support of the Wilderness Wildlife Trust and Wilderness Safaris’ camps in Zambia’s Busanga Plains, he founded and ran the Kafue Lion Project. He spent three years in the field working on his thesis, which earned him a PhD in Zoology through the University of Cape Town.
Through his PhD, Neil produced the first scientific estimates of lion numbers in one of Africa’s largest protected areas. His research serves to inform lion management plans and the conservation approach across Zambia, and has been used further afield in terms of survey techniques. Neil’s findings also helped to establish a fund to combat poaching in key areas of Kafue.
After completing his PhD, Neil joined Singita to help build the company’s biodiversity conservation capacity. He was initially involved in project management of new conservation projects before being promoted to General Manager of Conservation.
In his role as Group Impact Manager, Neil’s main focus is to drive the company’s mission of using its conservation tourism business to conserve and restore Africa’s wilderness and wildlife, contribute to community development, and to inspire people to advocate for positive change., Neil works with all other elements of the business to ensure a cohesive approach to utlising conservation tourism as a force for lasting positive impact.
Neil is a member of the African Lion Working Group, which is affiliated with the Cat Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Species Survival Commission, as well as a member of the Mozambique Carnivore Working Group, the KAZA Elephant Working Group, the KAZA Carnivore Working Group and the Transfrontier Specialist Group.
As a passionate conservationist and advocate of the valuable role that conservation tourism plays in protecting Africa’s wildlife and pristine areas, Neil is excited to be a part of the Wilderness journey, and for the opportunity to make a significant, positive contribution to the development of sustainable wildlife-based economies across the continent.