So many people and their good wishes are needed to make a trust such as the Wild Horizons Wildlife Trust successful. It will be impossible to name everyone...

Herewith more information on our trustees:-

Gavin Best joined the Department of National Parks and Wildlife with the then Rhodesian government in 1978. He worked in a number of Parks whilst gaining vast amounts of experience in the conservation management field. Gavin’s career with National Parks concluded with him in the position as Warden of Sinamatella Camp in the Hwange National Park. Gavin married Shayelene Best in February 1988. He decided to join the White family business and left the National Parks towards the end of 1988.

Gavin and Shay worked at Imbabala Safari Camp for the next 12 years (Gavin both managed and guided at Imbabala). In 2000 Gavin and Shay moved to the Elephant Camp on Woodlands Estate on the outskirts of Victoria Falls and took over the management of the operation.

Since then, Gavin and Shay have been actively involved in caring for both the adult elephant involved in the Wild Horizons Elephant Back Safaris while at the same time caring for and hand rearing orphan elephant that find their way to the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary and Orphanage.

The Wild Horizons Wildlife Trust was Gavin’s dream and after his tragic passing away in December 2008, we continue doing everything possible to make his objectives for the Trust a reality.

Roger Parry and Jessica Dawson have recently joined the Wild Horizons Team as managers for the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary and Orphanage. 

Roger comes to Wild Horizons with more than 15 years experience in the Wildlife Tourism industry.  Additionally, he spent 10 years working for the Zimbabwe Department of National Parks and Wildlife where he ascended to the rank of Senior Warden of Chizarira National Park. Roger also did the occasional flying for National Parks.  Roger’s qualifications include 15 years of darting and using chemical and physical capture of wildlife. 

Jessica Dawson is from San Diego, California, USA originally.  She has been in Zimbabwe for 5 years working closely with Roger. Jessica has a Masters degree in Business Administration with a strong emphasis in Marketing. Recently Roger and Jessica got married in the United States and are happy to be now working together for Wild Horizons. 

The Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary and Orphanage works very closely with the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit - Roger does a lot of the darting of snared and injured animals in the region. 

Paul Connolly is a Zimbabwean to his core.  He was born and raised in Zimbabwe and as a child he knew he wanted to live his life on the Zambezi River and in the African bush.  After completing a law degree at university,  he joined the prestigious law firm of Atherstone & Cook, where he became a partner.  After making the decision to resign from the law,  he continued to pursue his passion of canoeing. 

In 1985, Paul moved permanently to Victoria Falls and became very active in working together with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and setting the rules and guidelines for companies involved in rafting, canoeing and kayaking.  In addition to his work in tourism, Paul also started Victoria Falls Primary School so that he wouldn’t have to send his children away for schooling at such a young age.  These days Paul can be found still canoeing the Zambezi commercially, as well as taking his once a year journey to a remote river in Africa.

In his free time, we are pleased to have Paul as a trustee where he is making a difference in the welfare of animals and forests which he feels is a good cause as it helps combat global warming.  The trust will be able to preserve species for future generations.  Paul believes that the Wild Horizons Trust is important as not only is it a humane and compassionate cause, but it protects things that can not protect themselves. So when his grandchildren are canoeing the Zambezi they will still have the privilege of seeing some truly magnificent wildlife.    

Dave Cooper was born October 1957, and grew up in Gweru, Zimbabwe.  In 1982 he qualified as a Chartered Secretary and became a member of the Institute the following year.  He became a partner in Accounting and Executor Services in 1984 and administered to client financial requirements. He also dealt with deceased estates as Executor, and Company liquidations.  He then joined J. Mann & Company as Financial Director.  This company is a large steel and pipe merchant, manufacturing business employing 350 people.  After 17 years there he decided to make a career change and joined Wild Horizons on the 1st October 2007.

Wildlife, fishing and the outdoors has always been his passion.  He has been a regular visitor to the Zambezi valley specifically Mana Pools and the Kariba basin.

When the Wild Horizons Wildlife Orphanage and Sanctuary was created, Dave was asked to be a trustee as he has extensive knowledge in administration.  Obviously he accepted as this would engender his love for wildlife and the environment.

Bruno De Leo joins the trustees of the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary and Orphanage as Managing Director of Wild Horizons.

Bruno was brought up in Zambia and schooled in Johannesburg, South Africa. After completing his Business Management diploma, Bruno moved to Chobe, Botswana where he started game viewing activities. Bruno lived in Botswana for 8 years before moving to Victoria Falls.

Bruno has a genuine passion for wildlife and the environment. His unwavering commitment has made a reality of the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary and Orphanage.

Craig Ward White was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe in 1963. Craig first attended Baobab Primary School in Victoria Falls then went onto Gifford High in Bulawayo.  After Gifford, Craig went to the Zimbabwe Polytechicon, to study Civil Engineering. He qualified as a Civil Engineering Technician, in 1982 and went to work with the Water Development department, designing & building dams in Zimbabwe’s rural areas. In 1983/4 Craig moved to Botswana to work for Gametrackers, in the Okavango Delta as a Safari Guide.  In 1987 Craig moved back to Victoria Falls to start up Wild Horizons with his father, Ron White.  He became a Professional Guide, and started overland safaris through Zimbabwe.  In 1989 Craig together with Ron, built Imbabala Safari Camp in Kazungula, and opened to their first international Safari guests in 1990. After Imbabala, Craig built Jijima Safari Lodge in Hwange, on the border of Hwange National Park, and then he went on to build The Elephant Camp in Victoria Falls, where the first Elephant Back Safari started in Zimbabwe. 

Through the years, Craig worked as a Professional Guide, taking guests on safari through Zimbabwe, his favorite has always been to take guests on walks in the bush, approaching dangerous game (at a safe distance) but always giving the guest that little bit more..! In 2007/8 Craig, designed and built the Elephant Wallow, where the Wild Horizons elephants now live and work.

Simon is a founding partner of Cinven, one of Europe's largest private equity firms, with offices in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Hong Kong. Prior to joining Cinven, Simon worked with an international consulting firm on multi-disciplinary engineering projects in the UK and Southern Africa. Simon lived in Zimbabwe for 2.5 years and whilst doing so observed the pressures and challenges that exist at the interface of wildlife and ever growing human populous. Simon has an MBA, a BSc in Engineering and is a chartered engineer.

Leon Varley has been a fully qualified guide for 24 years and was among the first three guides to qualify in the post independence period. He was raised on a farm in North Eastern Zimbabwe and before starting Backpackers |Africa he worked as a Professional Hunter, Army Tracker, Miner, Prospector, Farmer, Journalist, Forestry Game Ranger and Tsetse Control Officer. It was whilst working in Chizarira National Park as a tsetse control officer in 1980 that he first formulated the idea of a walking safari operation. This area has always remained a favorite and to date he has personally led over 350 walking safaris. In 1986 Leon formed Backpackers Africa with his wife Mags and together they continue to host walking safaris throughout Zimbabwe.

Born in Zimbabwe in 1963, Larry Norton grew up on a game farm in north-east Zimbabwe. He started drawing as a boy and in 1988 began a professional career. Since then he has exhibited around the world including several successful exhibitions in New York and London. Larry Norton works in oils, water colour, charcoal and pencil and specializes in African subjects, including wildlife, landscape and people of the continent. He works from his home studio in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and travels extensively on field trips all over the world to gather material for future paintings.