Lions, Conservation, and a Life in the Wild

If you have ever sat around a campfire listening to safari stories, you will know that some people draw you in without trying too hard. Marnus Roodbol is one of those people. He has lived close to the wild for long enough that his stories carry real weight.

I first met Marnus almost twenty years ago when we were both young guides at Lion Sands River Lodge in the Sabi Sand. Since then, our paths have crossed through safari camps, lion conservation projects, remote fieldwork, and plenty of adventures across Africa.

Today, Marnus works with the Endangered Wildlife Trust and has spent more than two decades dedicated to understanding and protecting lions. In this Campfire Conversation, we talk about conservation, wildlife crime, friendship, resilience, and what it really takes to spend your life working for wild places.

A Life Shaped by Lions

Marnus wasn’t always comfortable around lions. As a child camping in the Kruger National Park, the sound of lions roaring in the darkness terrified him. And anyone who has heard that sound close to camp will understand why. A lion’s roar at night is not just something you hear. You feel it.

Years later, that fear became fascination, and that fascination became a life spent working with one of Africa’s most iconic predators. Marnus has now spent more than two decades in lion conservation, with his career taking him through South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, and Namibia.

As he says in the episode, “Conservation is definitely not for the faint-hearted.”

The New Threat Facing Africa's Lions

Much of our conversation turns to the pressure facing lions across Africa. We often speak about lions as symbols of wilderness and strength, but the reality on the ground is far more fragile. Over the last century, lion numbers have fallen dramatically as wild spaces shrink and conflict with people increases. Poisoning, poaching, and the illegal trade in lion body parts have added even more pressure.

Marnus shares insight from his work investigating wildlife trafficking networks, and it is sobering to hear how complex this threat has become. In parts of the Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area, lion populations have declined by more than 60% in less than a decade. For most of us, that is a shocking statistic. For people like Marnus, it is personal. These are lions they have tracked, studied, and often known for years.

The Human Side of Conservation

One of the strongest parts of the conversation is the way Marnus speaks about the emotional side of conservation. From the outside, people often see the exciting moments: helicopters, wildlife captures, remote camps, and long days in the bush. Those moments are real, but they are only part of the story.

There are also difficult calls, long stretches of frustration, and the heartbreak of losing animals to poisoning or poaching. Marnus speaks honestly about resilience, mentorship, and mental health in conservation, which are topics that deserve far more space. His advice for anyone wanting to enter the field is simple and honest: study hard, be prepared to volunteer, expect setbacks, and remember to appreciate the journey.

Lions Around Camp

Of course, no Campfire Conversation would be complete without a proper bush story, and Marnus delivers one. The episode ends with a tale from his fieldwork days involving a half-eaten impala, a remote tented camp, and a male and female lion arriving in camp in the middle of the night.

It begins with a small end-of-day decision that seems harmless enough at the time, and then the bush quietly changes the plan. It is the kind of story that makes you laugh, while also reminding you how quickly wild places can humble you.

Friendship, Purpose, and the Long Road

Beyond the lions and the conservation challenges, this episode is also about friendship and purpose. I first met Marnus nearly twenty years ago when we were both young guides at Lion Sands River Lodge in the Sabi Sand. Since then, I have watched him stay committed to this work through the good days and the difficult ones.

Conservation is not nearly as glamorous as people often imagine. It is hard, emotional, and rarely straightforward. And yet people like Marnus continue to show up because they understand what is at stake. For me, that is what makes this conversation so worthwhile. It is not only about lions, but about the people who keep fighting for them.

Listen Now!

From lion conservation and wildlife crime to life lessons, campfire stories, and two decades of friendship, this is a conversation packed with insight, humour, and perspective

Learn More About the Endangered Wildlife Trust

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is one of Africa's leading conservation organisations, working to protect threatened species and ecosystems through science, field conservation, community partnerships, and practical action.

Their work spans lions, wild dogs, vultures, cranes, cheetahs, wildlife corridors, and many of the conservation challenges shaping Africa's future.

To learn more about the organisation and support their work, visit the Endangered Wildlife Trust website.