Nikela: Helping People Saving Wildlife

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Featured Hero for 2019

Marnus saves Lions. Sadly, wild lions are losing their home all across Africa. To save them, their prey and habitat must be preserved, or even restored.
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Choose a Hero to Protect and Save African Animals

Happily, 100's of African animals are saved each year.

Margrit and Russ roam Africa in search of Wildlife Heroes. While people like you enjoy the adventure and help real Heroes.
Why not become a Wildlife Guardian yourself and ride along? Even small wildlife donations go a long way in Africa.

The results so far?

Over $61,000 given to 24 projects in 8 countries.
Wouldn't it be great to help all the heroes we meet?

100% of your wildlife donations go to Heroes saving real African wild animals.
Margrit & Russ take nothing for themselves and pay all travel and other expenses.

Why?

They retired early to connect the world to Africa
and the heroes who save wild animals.

Welcome Animal Lovers

Related Videos

  • Amazing Elephant Herds Take Turns in Botswana

    Traveling south shortly after Pandamatenga there's a seasonal waterhole. This time through we find hundreds of elephants. They're divided into different herds. Although a big waterhole, they're taking turns coming in to drink and then moving over to get mudded up in a large wallow. The little ones are especially fun to watch with their floppy trunks. #SaveTheElephantDay

  • Saving Lions and Their Home: An Interview with Marnus

    DONATE TODAY. What an exiting time for an interview with Marnus! We sit chatting about his work saving lions right there where two lions had come calling the night before. We learn about his love for lions. What he's been doing to protect them and their home for years. You'll hear about his challenges, those who work closely with him, and how you can help. Helping is easy...

  • Our 2019 YouTube Channel Trailer

    Enjoy our new YouTube Channel Trailer. Helping people saving wildlife is so much fun! For these wildlife heroes a little means so much. Hand delivered cash donations bring a smile to everyone's faces. You can join Margrit and Russ online...

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What supporters are saying

Jeannine – by chance

I was looking for information and came across your page to donate to help save vultures. I couldn’t say no.

Charmaine – a new fan

“In January 2019 I saw one of your videos by “accident” and then was hooked. Thank you for doing this amazing work.“

Baye Elizabeth Pigors – founder Free to be Wild

“Thank you guys for your support through the years and for always coming to visit. To be honest you impact us so much because we are a small organization and what you do just means so much to us .”

Mina M. (volunteer – USA)

I love the idea of giving back to the environment and the animals who cannot speak up for themselves… Nikela helps me focus on things that are important to me personally.

Neville B. (monthly donor – New Zealand)

It is people like you that enable others like myself to find a home for our modest contributions. I can’t read a story like POACHED!  and do nothing. 

Golda V. (donor)

I donated because I want to help people who are working hard to and directly to save African wildlife…

Sandra R. (donor and volunteer – USA)

I loved the idea of working with people who are fighting such a noble cause.  I love working with Margrit…  keeping us all together and motivated …

Pawan – India – Longest standing monthly donor

Hats off to you and Sir who still in this (your) age are doing fantastic job to protect wild life…

Margie (monthly donor – USA)

I’m so amazed at you and Russ. Love your blogs and emails!

Liz (monthly donor – USA)

I remember hearing that recurring donations help immensely…  Glad to be a part of your work. 

Colleen G. (volunteer – Switzerland)

…what better way to be involved with helping the planet than by actually making some changes?

Mike S. (monthly donor and volunteer)

I just like to help!

Jess (donor – UK)

It’s brilliant that there are people like you doing the work you do.

Cassie S. (volunteer – USA)

I’m a college student on a budget, so I can’t donate much money. Instead… I ended up volunteering with Nikela.

Megaen K. (volunteer – USA)

…I believe in the work that they do. I want to support the dedicated people in South Africa who are working to help animals. They are heroes.

Jim B. (donor – USA)

I’m a friend of Sandy L… in whose honor I made this donation. She told me about and I’ll continue to send support when I can.

Kubilay (monthly donor – India)

…I deliberately made two transactions. First I saw Baye and then Peter and I wanted to give them both a hand.

Mikaela R. (volunteer – USA)

I am grateful to assist in promoting the protection of wildlife in anyway and am honored to partake in such an important and humbling mission.

Khristinna S. (volunteer – USA)

Working closely with the Nikela team and knowing you are contributing to a great cause inspires you every day…

Kalli D. (volunteer – USA)

…to stay connected to the ongoing fight and reality of the wildlife trade I wanted to volunteer with Nikela.

Joyce C. (volunteer – USA)

I got my current part time job because my employer saw the giraffe infographic I created.

Frank v. E. (volunteer – Netherlands)

Small charity organizations can accomplish very direct results… 

Shawn B. (volunteer – USA)

…my team and I were tasked to create a fresh video to promote a participating nonprofit.  After sorting through all of the contenders, we decided on Nikela…

Brandi W. (volunteer – USA)

…I couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Complacency isn’t in my vocabulary. The Earth is losing species faster than ever before! And is happening on our watch…

Jessica I. (volunteer – USA)

…Nikela’s variety of projects and involvement in telling the right stories, by educated people lays the foundation for change. I really enjoy contributing to that.

Heather S. (volunteer – USA)

It is fun to be included in a great project… We are all in this together and as a group, it can be done!

Wendy S. (long standing volunteer)

I love being a part of this…  always wished I could find a way to save them (which isn’t very easy when you live in Ohio.) I wanted to be a “voice” for the rhinos. 

News from the Bush

The 3 Top Reasons to Donate to Small Wildlife Conservation Organizations

The 3 Top Reasons to Donate to Small Wildlife Conservation Organizations

· by · In: #NikelaAfrica, Animal Poaching, Human Wildlife Conflict, Nikela Blog, wildlife conservation Tagged: , , , , , ,

You’re ready to help! You want to make a difference but are a bit stymied by what to do. After all, you have many choices. There are many small wildlife conservation organizations. How do you choose? Your first choice may well be, do you give to a large or small wildlife conservation organization? Large wildlife conservation organizations have a lot of money. Large wildlife conservation organizations get involved on a big scale. Large wildlife conservation organizations have significant overhead costs. Large wildlife conservation organizations are influenced by their big donors. Large wildlife conservation organizations are well known and monitored. So… 

Read More
One proven method to resolve human wildlife conflict with elephants

One proven method to resolve human wildlife conflict with elephants

· by · In: elephant, Human Wildlife Conflict, Nikela Blog, wildlife conservation Tagged: , , ,

The success story continues with this rather simple method to resolve human wildlife conflict. How it began Several months back Moses Ryakitimbo in Tanzania reached out to us. As the founder of ‘Alert for endangered wildlife species’ (AFeWiS) Moses was very concerned about elephants invading the farms bordering the Arusha National Park. After visiting with numerous farmers and doing a bit of research on methods to resolve human wildife conflict he came upon a viable solution. Elephants don’t like bees. Building beehive fences along crop land perimeters supposedly keep elephants away. Moses sent us a proposal to build 10 beehives…. 

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What is the difference between Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare?

What is the difference between Wildlife Conservation and Animal Welfare?

· by · In: Animal Welfare, Bearded Vulture, elephant, lion, Nikela Blog, wildlife conservation Tagged: ,

“Aren’t they one and the same thing?” For quite some time I thought wildlife conservation and animal welfare were concepts that could be used interchangeably. However, I was dead wrong. Although on the surface it may seem that both wildlife conservation and animal welfare are about saving and protecting furry and feathered creatures… each has a different premise. Wildlife Conservation can be defined as… “Wildlife conservation activities relate to the protection of plants and animal species, and their habitats. Conservation efforts are made with a goal to preserve nature, and endangered species for the future generations.” (According to the US… 

Read More
Why would wildlife poachers turn in their spears for shovels?

Why would wildlife poachers turn in their spears for shovels?

· by · In: Moses, Nikela Blog, Poaching Tagged: , , ,

Moses persuades wildlife poachers to turn in their spears for shovels! Wildlife poaching is a huge issue across Africa. Large organizations are involved. Money comes pouring in. However, on the ground it’s often individuals who actually make a difference. Who actually really stop the wildlife poachers. How exactly Moses does it is a mystery. We met up with Moses early in 2017. He introduced us to his first group of reformed wildlife poachers. They told us stories of spearing and snaring wildlife for the bush meat trade. They spoke of killing elephants, hippo, and all sorts of antelope. It was… 

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A simple Pangolin Rescue Mission system that is working in Uganda

A simple Pangolin Rescue Mission system that is working in Uganda

· by · In: endangered, Illegal trade, Moses, Nikela Blog, Pangolin, Poaching, Wildlife Trafficking Tagged: , , ,

It begins with a text. And Moses is off on another pangolin rescue mission. Intervening in the wildlife trafficking trade is not for sissies! The scaly anteater, the pangolin, is the most highly endangered mammal on the planet. What on earth do people want from this nocturnal, harmless, seldom seen creature? For one, locals say it’s mighty tasty eating. So it is caught and killed for eating… bush meat. However, what’s really driving this critter to the brink of extinction is an ever increasing appetite for its scales in Asia. Tons of bags of scales have been intercepted at entry… 

Read More
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 Every month we share

a few Videos and Stories

about our adventures 

with people saving wildlife

Right now you'll
get some
of our Favorites
 

     Hello! We're Margrit & Russ

and how YOU can Help