For the past two decades, Chris Pearce and his team of volunteers have dedicated themselves to protecting endangered species from poaching, often at great personal risk and with limited resources.
Rooderport, South Africa (17 February 2025) – Countless animals have been saved from a terrible fate due to the dedicated efforts of wildlife conservation volunteer Chris Pearce and his team of anti-poaching volunteers in the vast wilderness of our endangered wildlands.
Chris has spent the past two decades doing his part to protect South Africa’s wildlife, working tirelessly to safeguard endangered species from poaching. His work, alongside countless other volunteers, is entirely self-funded—they risk their lives every day without expecting anything in return.
As a tax practitioner by profession, Chris has found his true purpose in the bush working to support various organisations in their mission to look out for wildlife against growing poaching syndicates.
“I’ve always enjoyed and had a passion for wildlife. That’s my escapism,” shares Chris in a Hot FM interview.
His passion for wildlife dates back to 22 years ago when he started working with the Leopard Conservation Project which was dedicated to protecting leopards. Over the years he’s worked with many other conservation projects in various areas, noting that wildlife poaching is far and vast.
“We’re involved in anti-poaching efforts with various groups and organisations. It’s a difficult task for those guys, constantly on the ground putting their lives in the line of fire. They need to be motivated. They need equipment that will assist them in doing their jobs.
“With anti-poaching, a whole lot of guys go into the bush and face huge challenges. It’s quite a difficult task,” Chris explains.
With poaching syndicates becoming more sophisticated and violent, bulletproof vests have become a necessity for those working on the frontlines. Unfortunately, funding for protective gear is often overlooked, as conservation efforts prioritise animal care.
Chris himself admits that asking for money from the public also gets tiring over time, hence why most funds have to come straight out of their pockets as volunteers.
Realising the great need to protect these unsung heroes on the ground, Hot Cares pledged to cover the R50,000 needed to provide ten bulletproof vests for Chris and his fellow anti-poaching volunteers!
According to the charity, these vests will give them a fighting chance—ensuring they can continue their critical work with a little less anxiety.
A grateful Chris was taken aback by the surprise financial contribution, thanking the Hot Cares team for their support in helping the brave men on the ground continue their invaluable work.
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