The Ian Player Foundation - Wildlife
How Ian Player made a difference for wildlife.
In some ways, Ian Player was classic ‘old school’ white African – all discipline and starched khaki trousers – but he also walked to a different drum. He’s was a longtime Jungian and listened to the messages he received in his dreams.
And, amidst scientists and politicians, hard-bitten activists and safari elites, he was unafraid to talk about the “spirituality” inherent in the natural world; of how the human “soul” can be restored by the experience of wilderness and why Africa itself has a unique ability to heal the ills of modern humanity. He had seen too many people transformed on his wilderness trails.
Back in 2008 when the poaching began again, Ian Player was tempted to leave his crusade to younger men but one night he had a dream that a baby rhino came into his room, climbed up onto his bed and laid its head on his shoulder. “So there it was. The rhino had come to ask for my help so I am quite literally involved up to my neck.”
While his name will always be synonymous with this one species, his mission is far broader. He is passionate about the very existence of wilderness. His concern is that once we lose the iconic creatures of the wild – the elephant, the rhino, the lion, the tiger – we will lose the wild itself.
He lived much of his life in wild places and can perfectly imitate dozens of birdcalls and other animal sounds. The wild lived in his blood and he believed that it can be our salvation as a species; that our lives quite literally depend on it.
How the Ian Player Foundation plans to make a difference for wildlife.
A top priority for us is removing snares that kill and maim wildlife every day all over the world, as such, The Ian Player Foundation works closely with several anti-poaching units, who tirelessly remove snares and save dying wildlife trapped in these snares. Our goal is to raise enough funds to grow full-time snare removal teams across the globe to significantly bring down the number of dying animals and put a stop to this senseless act. The average cost to remove a snare is 5 US dollars. Donate now and help us stop poaching right now.
Donate Towards Protecting Wildlife!
You will be donating to help us make a difference to help save endangered animals and wildlife overall. Every $10 donated to this cause will go towards removing 15 snares in the bush.