ADRIAN Gardiner, known the world over as a conservationist, entrepreneur, founder, and Chairman of the Mantis Collection received an incredible ‘Birthday present’ this week, in the form of a Global Humanitarian Award from American Humane.
“As I celebrate my 80th birthday, I am deeply honoured to receive this award,” said Gardiner.
“But am equally humbled, the environment and conservation projects I have been fortunate to be involved in, are not about me. I have an amazing team, we would never have accomplished what we have without everyone’s incredible dedication, empathy, work ethic and love of nature and the environment.
“In South Africa, we say it takes a village to raise a child. The same is true for conservation. Everyone from visionaries through to environmentalists, local communities, tourists, and volunteers plays an important role in spreading the message. Our philosophy has also been to ensure inclusivity to help man, beast and the natural world live in harmony.”

The Award was issued “in recognition of Gardiner’s dedication to wildlife conservation, to saving animals and their habitats that have laid a road map for other private entities to invest in conservation,” said American Humane CEO, Dr Robin Ganzert.
American Humane, is the United States’ first national humane organisation and the world’s largest certifier of animal welfare. They oversee the humane treatment of more than one billion animals across the globe each year.
“He could apply his sharp business sense anywhere, yet he’s chosen to invest his talents in wildlife conservation. American Humane stands in awe of his accomplishments and is honoured to recognise him with our National Humanitarian Medal.”
Prior to founding the Mantis Collection, the leading conservation-focused hotel group, Gardiner spent decades dedicated to the conservation and protection of Africa’s wildlife, in partnership with both the Wilderness Foundation Africa and the Wilderness Foundation Global, where he serves as patron.
He founded Shamwari, the first private Big Five game reserve in the Eastern Cape which inspired him to expand this blueprint, restoring the land and protecting the animals who inhabit it. Now, through the CCFA’s legacy conservation project, a foundation of the Mantis Collection, he continues to work alongside dedicated conservationists and community members with the objective of each CCFA project to include participation by local communities for them to benefit from conservation and ecotourism while creating a conservation and community legacy
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