OUR TEAM

The LEO Team has been brought together by a genuine passion for conservation and sustainable living. Each staff member is extremely dedicated towards our mission and would go the extra mile to achieve our conservation and wildlife monitoring objectives. All the members of the Team are FGASA qualified and have years of experience on the field. We love to share our knowledge with our volunteers and educate them on the bigger conservation issues as well as living a sustainable lifestyle. Our motto is: "together, we can make a difference!".

Koos Niemann

Project Director & Senior Ranger

Koos is South African, born in Potgietersrus. He has more than 20 years of experience in the bush and has worked as a reserve manager for a Big 5 reserve, security manager (head of anti-poaching team for a private reserve), and he has been at LEO Africa since 2007.

Koos has vast experience with wildlife monitoring, game capture, reserve maintenance and management, alien plant control and tracking animals on foot, He has a deep passion for conservation, anti-poaching, sustainable living and also has a great interest in birding.

Koos is in charge of all the LEO Africa camera trap set up and service within the park. Also known as "Mc Gyver", he built three solar powered cars and is working on more, with the aim of reducing the use of fossil fuels, and conducting drives (in the future) using renewable energy.

Sabrina Colombo

Project Manager & Senior Ranger

Sabrina is from Milan, Italy, and after having played tennis for 20 years at high levels, obtaining a degree in tourism and working in hotels and even organisation, she decided to live the second dream of her life: studying lions and work for conservation. She came to LEO in 2011 as a volunteer and she literally fell in love with lions and the work done by LEO Africa. She decided to go back to Italy, work for some months and come back to South Africa to do her FGASA Studies and become a field guide. She started working at LEO Africa in September 2012 as manager and guide. Her main passions are lions, sport, nature, conservation, and in particular reserve maintenance work and sustainable living. Sabrina has a deep dedication in educating and encouraging volunteers and others to a plastic free life.

"Each of us can make a difference to respect our Planet and wildlife!".

Mike Hrusa

Field Guide

Michael was born in South Africa and grew up in Zimbabwe. His passion for nature was instilled in him from a very early age by his uncles. After finishing school he worked on a voluntary basis for a wildlife educational camp in the Zambezi valley area of Zimbabwe. It was here that he developed a greater understanding and respect for wildlife. Michael went on to complete his FGASA field guiding qualification in 2016 and started working in lodges specializing in walking safaris where he gained valuable experience walking in the bush. His move to LEO was accompanied by a growing desire to make a positive impact in conserving the natural areas in which he lives and works as well as protecting their, sometimes critically endangered, inhabitants.

Ryan Smart

Field Guide

Ryan was born in Boksburg. Even though he grew up in the city he would go to Kruger to explore the wonders of the African wilderness with his parents and grandparents every school holiday. This ignited a spark to get involved in working and living in the bush from a young age and straight after school he left the city to do his training as a field guide and marine guide. His main passion in the bush is birds and tracking of animals as well as mammal behaviour but he loves all species equally from the smallest insects up to the largest of elephants. Having worked extensively in the guiding industry for 10 years he made the decision to do his part for conservation and to work with the Leo Africa team. Ryan is passionate and enthusiastic in making a difference to ensure that future generations get to experience the wilderness as he did as youngster.