When you see Marco Ottolini, an Italian conservationist and wildlife management expert with field experience across Southern Africa. Also known as a leading voice in sustainable game farming, he has spent over a decade advising private reserves on ethical wildlife practices and community-based tourism models. His name shows up in reports not because he’s a celebrity, but because he’s one of the few outsiders who actually lived on the ground—working with rangers, tracking poaching patterns, and helping farms turn profit into protection.
He doesn’t run big NGOs. He doesn’t tweet headlines. He works quietly with small-scale game farms in Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and the North West Province, helping them meet international eco-certification standards while keeping local employment high. That’s why his name pops up in stories about wildlife conservation, the practice of protecting wild animals and their habitats through science, law, and community action that actually works. He’s seen how poorly designed tourism can hurt animals—and how smart farming can save them. His approach? No grand gestures. Just better fences, smarter visitor limits, and training locals to be the first line of defense.
He also pushes back against the myth that game farms are just private hunting clubs. In fact, many of the farms he works with are now open to photographic safaris, school groups, and even research teams. That shift—from profit-only to purpose-driven—is what makes his work matter. He’s helped farms in South Africa generate more income from camera-toting tourists than from trophy hunters, and he’s done it without relying on foreign grants. That’s rare.
When you look at the posts under this tag, you’ll find articles that mention him in passing—maybe tied to a new policy, a training workshop, or a dispute over land use. Some are direct quotes. Others are background context. None are fluff. Every mention ties back to real decisions made on the ground: how to balance income with ecology, how to involve communities without exploiting them, and how to keep animals safe when money is tight.
You won’t find him on Instagram. But if you care about what’s really happening in African game farms—beyond the glossy brochures and viral videos—you’ll find value in the stories where his name appears. He’s not the star. He’s the quiet force behind the scenes, making sure the business of wildlife doesn’t destroy the wildlife itself.
Below, you’ll see the actual news pieces that reference Marco Ottolini. Each one tells a different part of the story—some about policy, some about conflict, some about quiet wins. They’re not all about him. But together, they show why he’s worth paying attention to.
