Anton Mzimba served 25 years at Timbavati, rising from field ranger to one of the most respected conservation leaders in Africa. His courage was recognized around the world: Best Field Ranger at the 2016 Rhino Conservation Awards, the posthumous Best Game Ranger honor at the 2022 African Conservation Awards, and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas International Ranger Award, presented in 2023 in recognition of an exemplary career and inspirational leadership.

  “I’m deeply saddened to learn of the killing of Anton Mzimba, whom I spoke with in November,” wrote The Prince of Wales after Anton’s murder. “Committed and brave, rangers like Anton are central to the conservation of Africa’s fantastic wildlife. Those responsible must swiftly be brought to justice. My thoughts are with his family.”

A Pattern, Not an Isolated Tragedy

  Anton’s murder was an attack on a man, but it was also part of a pattern. The International Ranger Federation’s 2026 Roll of Honour, released on World Ranger Day, records 147 rangers from 40 countries who died in the line of duty in the past year. Homicide was the single largest cause of death, claiming 43 of them, and the Federation acknowledges the true number of ranger deaths is likely significantly higher. World Ranger Day, observed every July 31, honours the fallen and the rangers who carry on.

  “Anton Mzimba’s murder was not an isolated tragedy. Rangers across Africa face threats, intimidation and violence simply for doing their jobs,” said Louise de Bruin, CEO of the Game Rangers Association of Africa, which has placed ranger safety and welfare at the centre of its mission. “Every ranger we lose is a blow to conservation and to the communities who depend on these wild places. Ranger safety and welfare cannot be an afterthought. It must be central to how the world protects nature.”

  At Timbavati, the work Anton led has never stopped. The man who now holds his post carries both the responsibility and the risk. “I carry Anton’s standard with me every day. We continue his work knowing the same dangers exist,” said Orlat Ndlovu, Head of Ranger Services at Timbavati Nature Reserve. “We owe it to him, and to every ranger still on the front line, to see this through.”

The Son Who Came Home to The Bush

  When Anton came home from the bush, he would take his son Jafet with him back into it, teaching him the trees, the tracks, and the reasons behind the work. Today, Jafet Mzimba is enrolled in a bridging course at the Southern African Wildlife College, the first step toward a career continuing what his father began.

“People knew my father as a ranger. I knew him as the man who came home, the one who would take me into the bush and teach me. I still know more than forty trees because of him,” said Jafet Mzimba, Anton’s son. “When I told him I wanted to follow his career, he froze. He said the job was too dangerous. But in the end he told me, ‘Maybe you are the one who will follow my steps. I am proud of you, son.’ I’m training as a conservationist now to continue his work. He was not just a father. He was my guide, and he lives in me.”

  Jafet is not walking that path alone. Anton’s belief that conservation would be won by the next generation inspired the Global Conservation Corps to create its Future Rangers Program, which brings conservation education and pathways to careers in conservation to young people in the communities bordering Kruger National Park.

  “Anton is the reason the Future Rangers Program exists. He believed this fight would be won by children who grow up seeing wildlife as theirs,” said Matt Lindenberg, Founder of Global Conservation Corps. “Today that program reaches thousands of young people across the Greater Kruger, and it is supporting Anton’s own children. The next generation of conservationists he dreamed of is already here. That is not a consolation. That is a result.”

The Pursuit of Justice Continues

  The Justice for Anton Mzimba campaign, launched in November 2024 by the creators of RHINO MAN, continues its work to sustain a reward for information leading to the conviction of Anton’s killers, support the investigation and the organizations assisting South African law enforcement, and keep Anton’s case a national priority while raising global awareness of the threats facing rangers.

  The campaign’s work is continuing and slowly making progress. While details of the ongoing investigation cannot be disclosed, the team remains constructively engaged with South African authorities. Funds raised to date have fuelled substantial investigative work through the U.S. nonprofit Focused Conservation. Further funds are being raised in support of the pursuit of justice in Anton’s case.

  Anyone with information about Anton’s murder is encouraged to come forward to the South African Police Service. “Anton was my friend. I spent years alongside him and his team, and I watched him do one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth without ever losing his humanity,” said John Jurko II, Director of RHINO MAN. “Four years after he was murdered at his own front door, no one has answered for it. Honouring rangers on World Ranger Day has to mean more than gratitude. It has to mean justice. We will not let Anton’s name fade.”

  This World Ranger Day, the campaign invites the public to honour Anton Mzimba and rangers everywhere: watch RHINO MAN, share Anton’s story, and support the pursuit of justice. Together, we can ensure Anton’s voice echoes far beyond his loss. To donate and learn more visit www.justiceforanton.org; www.rhinomanthemovie.org.

  Queries regarding the status of the investigation should be directed to the South African Police Service / Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).