The lion whisperer

He is the “lion whisperer”: in the endless expanse of the Kalahari desert in Botswana, Valentin Grüner has found his vocation - protecting Africa’s majestic wild animals. And millions of people around the globe follow his fascinating work on social media. Grüner became famous for his unusual relationship with Sirga, a lioness he can often be seen cuddling with great devotion. Sirga had been rejected by her mother at birth and was raised by Grüner. 

A habitat for wildlife 

Grüner originally left Germany more than a decade ago to work in Africa as a tour guide. But he quickly realised that he wanted to do more than guide tourists around the continent’s impressive landscapes. Together with Danish animal welfare activist Mikkel Legarth, Grüner set up the Modisa Wildlife Project. In a reserve covering 170 square kilometres, one of the project’s jobs is to look after orphaned lions and provide them with a safe habitat in which they are protected from poachers.  

Valentin Grüner sees himself not only as a conservationist but also as an ambassador whose role is to foster greater understanding about the complex relationship between humans and animals. His close bond with lions has reaped him attention and admiration worldwide.  

And what about Sirga? The lioness is now 14 years old and has become an ambassador for her endangered species. “We use her story on social media to help people understand what nature conservation means in concrete terms,” says Grüner. Over the years, he has also come to realise something: “Nature conservation only works in practice if it benefits people at the local level.” That’s why he employs ten people from the surrounding villages – in a region in which jobs are scarce. Valentin Grüner also believes it is important to work closely with local authorities to combat poaching.