- +27 83 670 1436
- info@sustainsafaris.com
- www.sustainsafaris.com
Michael is a dedicated naturalist, conservationist and explorer with a passion for birding, rare mammals, walking trails, and photography. With decades of industry experience, he is a registered professional in natural science, nature tour guiding, and ecotourism consulting. He has also travelled extensively through Southern and East Africa, Mauritius, and North America.
Michael enjoys sharing nature-based and adventure experiences with people from all over the world, and despite his extensive knowledge and experience, he continually seeks opportunities to immerse himself in nature, continue to learn from it, learn from those who conserve it, and educate others about its value.
He has led many tours in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Eswatini (Swaziland), Mozambique, and Lesotho. He has also worked in the United States of America and the Southern Ocean. During his Southern and East African adventures, he has explored 131 national parks, game reserves and nature reserves.
His career has mainly been entrepreneurial, including nature guiding, environmental consulting, ecotourism consulting, safari lodge development, and work in operational and marketing fields. This experience, coupled with his tertiary education, has honed his expertise in these areas. In addition to owning and managing Sustain Safaris, Michael also owns and manages the Sustain Ecotourism and Environmental consulting business.
In June 2026, Michael had Southern Africa and Indian Ocean bird lifelist of 826 species, a Southern African mammal lifelist of 165 species, a Southern African reptile list of 74 species, a South African butterfly lifelist of 104 species, and a South African frog lifelist of 37 species. Animal behaviour, herpetology and trees are also areas of interest.
He guides with professionalism, skill, and care, backed by his accreditations, experience in nature and outdoor adventure and extensive travel experience.
Richard is a passionate naturalist, photographer and public speaker who has been involved in wildlife and conservation his whole life. He is a qualified nature and trails guide with over 15 years of experience throughout Southern Africa and has direct work experience in South Africa and Botswana.
While he has not yet listed the number of bird, mammal, butterfly, frog and reptile species he has seen, the number is impressive.
Richard’s dedication to wildlife extends beyond guiding. He has conducted research on leopard, lynx and Crowned Eagles, and with his wife Candice, Richard spent two years on a leopard identification project on the Eastern Shores of iSimangaliso. They now run a conservation, biodiversity and tourism business together called “The LionHeart Experience”.
Their mission is to connect people with the natural world and provide unforgettable experiences in the wild. Richard uses his photography and writing to create beautiful artworks to inspire and ignite wonder while promoting conservation and awareness of environmental issues. He and his wife live in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and he enjoys surfing in his spare time.
Jacques is a registered and highly experienced bird guide based in Cape Town, South Africa. He is qualified to guide across all nine provinces of South Africa. Beyond South Africa, Jacques leads and collaborates on birding tours throughout Southern and East Africa, including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Uganda, as well as internationally in Costa Rica.
His guiding experience includes some of the country’s most iconic birding destinations such as the Kruger National Park, the high-altitude Sani Pass, the Namaqualand region (including seasonal flower and birding tours), as well as key birding areas along the West Coast, Overberg, and Garden Route.
Passionate, dedicated and deeply knowledgeable, Jacques is the founder, creator and administrator of the Let’s Go Birding South Africa Facebook group – a highly interactive and welcoming community for birders of all experience levels.
Over the years, Jacques has built an extensive knowledge base and access to lesser-known and exclusive birding hotspots, earning a strong reputation for successfully “targeting” sought-after species for both local clients and international twitchers.