Shannon Hoffman | Nikela: Helping People Saving Wildlife

VIDEO: Nikela’s 11th Anniversary How it all Started

Apr 8, 2021 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: #LuvWildlife, Bird of prey sanctuary, News, Nikela, Nikela Blog, wildlife conservation Tagged: African Bird of Prey Sanctuary, African lions, charity, Nikela anniversary, nonprofit, Shannon Hoffman

It’s Nikela’s 11th anniversary! What a ride it’s been! It’s amazing to look back at how one crucial encounter triggered it all. This one experience catapulted two ordinary people, like Russ and I, to start a nonprofit charity to help people saving wildlife. Although Nikela has remained small and volunteer run we’ve distributed over $85,000 to 24 projects in eight African countries. How it all started… with a bird? In early 2009 Russ, and I visited the African Bird of Prey Sanctuary close to where my parents lived, in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. This sanctuary cares for falcons, hawks, kites, eagles,…

What Drives This Wildlife Hero? The Gift of a Life Saved

Nov 19, 2019 · by Russ · In: Bearded Vulture, Bird of Prey, Bred 4 the Wild, endangered, Nikela Blog, Shannon Tagged: Bearded Vulture, bred 4 the wild, Shannon Hoffman, wildlife heroes

Only for the glory, recognition, big bucks, becoming world renowned, receiving international awards, and having a tombstone inscribed with “Here lies the greatest conservationist of the century.” None of our wildlife heroes began with or live this mindset. For all of them, it is the gift of a life saved and bonding to that living creature through the process that keeps them going. Ten years ago, Shannon changed our hearts leading us down the path to Nikela and the adventures of helping people saving wildlife. She wows the public with the wonder of her rescued birds of prey, converting many…

The Bearded Lady on a Journey to Save an Endangered Species

Oct 1, 2019 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: #NikelaAfrica, Bearded Vulture, Bird of Prey, Bird of prey sanctuary, Bred 4 the Wild, Nikela Blog, Shannon, wildlife conservation Tagged: Bearded Vulture, breeding program, saving endangered species, Shannon Hoffman

It’s January 2014 (this was pre Land Rover) and we’re in our little red rental car. Finally we’re going to meet the Bearded Lady. We heard about her in 2012 when she was rescued from a chicken coop and we rallied Nikela supporters to help build her a comfortable enclosure at Shannon’s African Raptor Center. Affectionately called the Bearded Lady, she really is a Bearded Vulture. Albeit a very beautiful one. Unlike other vultures who eat dead meat these vultures eat the bones. Isn’t nature’s clean up system amazing? Because she was confined to a chicken coop for so long…

Why saving the Bearded Lady is about saving her entire species of Lammergeier

Nov 14, 2018 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: Bird of Prey, Bird of prey sanctuary, conservation, endangered, Nikela Blog, Shannon, wildlife conservation Tagged: African Bird of Prey Sanctuary, Bearded Vulture, Lammergeier, Shannon Hoffman

When Shannon saved the Bearded Lady she had no idea what was in store for her and the future of the critically endangered Lammergeier. “In a chicken coop!” How sad. This magnificent high flying bird of prey confined to a small wire cage. Okay, she’s a vulture, but undeniably the most beautiful raptor you can imagine. And entitled to the life of a free Bearded Vulture. Shannon, the keeper of the African Bird of Prey Sanctuary, is one of our wildlife heroes. Her passion, since she was a youngster, has been the lions of the skies, Africa’s fabulous birds of…

How we’ve helped and what we’ve seen so far – Africa Safari 2018-2019

Aug 23, 2018 · by Wildlife Margrit · In: #NikelaAfrica, Nikela Blog, Poaching, wildlife conseration Tagged: Africa Safari, Ann Reilly, Byron Sclanders, Kruger National Park, Natalie Rogers, Overlanding Africa, Shannon Hoffman, Silke von Eynern

A little over a month ago we arrived back on African soil. It’s been a wild ride of preparations, meeting some of our wildlife heroes and viewing some amazing animals and birds. Our Africa safari north, from South Africa to Ethiopia and back, has definitely begun. Prefer to listen… Before leaving the Johannesburg area we stopped by Bambelela. This wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center is nestled in the mountains outside of Bela Bela. We arrived at a time of grieving. Gert, Silke’s companion and wildlife rehab partner had passed away suddenly about 10 days before. However, as always we were…