Steff is a wonderful and enthusiastic young lady that joined us in September of last year. She is exceptionally knowledgeable and has a love for animals that is beyond measure.
Name: Steff McWilliam
Title: Game Ranger
Started at Shamwari: September 2015
Hometown: Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal
Previous roles: I was a volunteer coordinator at Lion and Black Rhino Monitoring (LEO) and a game ranger at Lion Sands. I also interned at Free Me Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre for about a year.
Qualification:
Field Guide
Back-up walking guide
Hobbies:
Surfing, Scuba Diving, Photography and Animal Rehabilitation
Passion:
I love anything and everything to do with nature, that includes going on adventures and exploring.
Favourite part of the job:
Getting to see the lesser known animals like bat-eared foxes and caracals!
“It’s better to walk alone than with a crowd going in the wrong direction” – Herman Siu
Favourite animal:
Cape Clawless Otter
Favourite animal in a sighting:
My favourite animal would have to be a Honey Badger because they are very active and are always up to something, they are very mischievous animals.
Most exciting encounter while on a game drive:
I have two sightings…
I went out on a game drive with my guests and we came across a caracal and followed it into the bush hoping to get another glimpse of it. I came around the corner and the caracal was staring at something intently in front of it. Only then did we manage to see that it was actually a Cape Cobra standing erect and hooded about less than a metre in front of it. The caracal was hissing at the snake until she eventually retreated and moved away.
Another exciting encounter was when I came across a young black rhino play fighting an adult white rhino. It was really interesting to see the two species interacting.
