Tanya McKenzie, the programme coordinator of Children in the Wilderness Bobirwa,  was born in Johannesburg in 1962. Her father, Ted Steyn, the founder of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve, instilled a deep passion for the African wilderness in her. After studying archaeology at Stellenbosch and Pretoria Universities, she lived in The Northern Tuli Game Reserve with her late husband, Dr Andrew McKenzie who was a wildlife veterinarian. Tanya assisted Andrew with his research on Black-Backed Jackal to complete his doctorate and later in publishing “The Capture and Care Manual”. Tanya is a trustee of the Tuli Conservation Trust and she has served on the executive committee of the Northern Tuli Game Reserve since 1995.

Additionally, she is a Botswana delegate on the conservation committee of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area. Tanya is a keen mountain biker and has participated in the Tour de Tuli every year since 2008. Tanya currently works in the administration of Mashatu Game Reserve and she is passionate about wildlife and environmental conservation. She loves her role as the CITW programme coordinator for the Bobirwa region in Botswana, as she believes education is key.

Fluent in Setswana, and loved and respected by CITW children and the communities with whom she works, we are very lucky to have Aunty Tanya heading up our Programme in Bobirwa.