Shareholder Participation at LL: Walt Tingle

One of the key aspects which attracts us as shareholders to LL is that we have the opportunity to participate in any of the projects happening on the reserve. We are currently busy with reintroduction of Cheetah and so various shareholders took some time out to come and help. We were rather lucky to capture a sighting of one of our Cheetah chasing an impala. What we did not expect to capture, was Walt Tingle from USA deciding that the impala needed some help! See the video clip.

Walt and Thea are a fantastic couple and their enthusiasm is contagious. They certainly contributed extensively to the LL culture. Here is their story:

A little over a year ago the name Limpopo-Lipadi meant nothing to us. Now, however it means a great deal. It means a life long dream has come true.

As a child I was fascinated with stories of Africa and the wild animals to be found there. I longed for the day I would finish school and set off for the life of the professional hunter, sitting around the campfire at night regaling my clients with tales of close calls with dangerous game. Probably fortunately for me and my imaginary clients, reality took over and I chose a very different, but equally exciting career path. A lot of good luck came my way, and one of the most lucky events was meeting a woman who came to love Africa as much as me! We took a number of safaris together and eventually were married on safari in South Africa.

We often discussed how great it would be to live in African game country for part of the year, but we couldn't find any practical way to do it. Then through our connection with African Wildlife Foundation, we learned of Limpopo-Lipadi. It sounded like the answer to our dreams, but it was scary to think of committing financially to a project that was still mostly on paper. We decided to risk taking a trip to the reserve to see for ourselves if this scheme looked like a dream or a nightmare!

Soon after arriving at the reserve and meeting Jacques, Alan and some of the other principals, it became apparent that they were all totally committed to the success of the enterprise and that their vision matched ours. We decided to make the leap and have been so glad we did - glad enough in fact to have recently increased our investment!

The youthful fantasies of calmly protecting clients from assorted charging beasts may never have come to pass, but the dream of the two of us enjoying the African bush together as shareholders in a reserve full of wild creatures has indeed come true!
Walt and Thea Tingle

USA