Leon Marais

Born into a birding family, Leon had no choice but to be interested in wildlife. After completing an Honours degree in Geography at the University of Natal he took up a 'temporary' job at a lodge in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve and ended up guiding at various lodges over a 6-year period. When lodge-based guiding began to lose its appeal, he took up tour guiding and since 2007 has been a partner in Lawson's Birding, Wildlife & Custom Safaris. He gets to lead birding and wildlife safaris across the region, and he considers being remunerated for doing something he loves a true blessing in life. He also has a certificate in Journalism and enjoys photography as a fairly serious pursuit. He is married and lives in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South Africa, with the Kruger National Park on his doorstep.