Naas joined the Cape Leopard Trust in August 2019 as the city and Boland based Environmental Educator. His role is to promote and raise awareness of predator and biodiversity conservation amongst the youth. Naas’ love for animals and the environment was nurtured from a young age growing up on a farm in Gauteng, where he took every opportunity to be outdoors.

With a passion for South Africa and its wildlife, he decided to dedicate his life to protect and promote the country’s valuable heritage. Naas’s passion for nature was further formalised through his training as a field guide after completing FGASA and Cybertracker qualifications at the Limpopo Field Guide Academy. He also obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management from UNISA focused on sustainability.

To expand his knowledge Naas is currently enrolled for an Honours degree in environmental management. Naas has a particular interest in predator conservation and human-wildlife conflict. He enjoys sharing his passion and knowledge with young people, inspiring them to understand the importance of protecting natural resources.

As the Boland Environmental Educator, Naas has the best of both worlds: the opportunity to research the elusive Leopard and share knowledge with others, whilst having the privilege of developing educational programmes that promote the importance of protecting biodiversity in the Western Cape.