Dean Schneider

Dean Schneider (born October 3, 1992, Zurich, Switzerland) is a Swiss former entrepreneur, animal sanctuary founder, wildlife conservationist, and social media personality living in South Africa.

Biography Dean Schneider was born in Zurich. From a young age, he was passionate about nature, drawing inspiration from his idol, Steve Irwin.

Schneider launched a financial company at age 21 and sold it to dedicate his life to wildlife conservation. After selling his business, Schneider moved to South Africa in 2017 and established the Hakuna Mipaka Oasis, an animal sanctuary for rescued wildlife.

As of October 2024, Schneider has over 11 million followers on Instagram, 10.5 million on TikTok and YouTube alike.

Hakuna Mipaka Oasis keeps its location private and does not allow public or tourist access. Schneider defended his actions, stating the lion was unharmed and that he was teaching it about boundaries. In order for him to be accepted into the pride, it is necessary that he behave toward the cubs in the same way that the adult lions would. The matter eventually subsided without any consequences.