South Africa
Josh van der Ploeg
&BEYOND Guide, PR manager, podcast host
ABOUT JOSH • SIGHTINGS • GALLERY • CONTENT
At a glance
I’d rather be surfing or on safari than anywhere else…
PREVIOUSLY BASED AT KIRKMAN'S & TENGILE
5 YEARS GUIDING EXPERIENCE
GUIDE, MENTOR, PR MANAGER
INTEREST IN PHOTOGRAPHY, TRACKING & BIRDS
FAVOURITE ANIMAL
Leopard
MEET JOSH
Josh hails from Cape Town, but it was childhood family safaris to the world-famous Kruger National Park that had Josh hooked on wildlife from a very early age. These fun-filled adventures fuelled his unwavering passion for Africa’s landscapes and wildlife, and would later shape his future in the wild.
In 2011, Josh enrolled at the University of Cape Town to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and Marine Biology. For the field work required for his thesis, Josh investigated the importance of fire in a savanna ecosystem at Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Nature Reserve, which neighbours &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve.
Upon completing his thesis and graduating in 2015, Josh joined &Beyond’s Inkwazi Ranger Training School at &Beyond Phinda in 2016 and was based at &Beyond Kirkman’s Kamp and Tengile River Lodge for six years.
With an avid interest in observing and documenting wildlife behaviour and characteristics, Josh and one of his fellow guides, Matt Smith, initiated the Leopards of &Beyond Kirkman’s Kamp and Tengile River Lodge identification kit. This in-depth guide profiles the region’s renowned leopard population, explains their complex social dynamics and provides a better understanding of the species as a whole.
Josh left the Sabi Sand Game Reserve to join a Panthera expedition to Saudi Arabia to track and research leopards there before rejoining &Beyond as part of the marketing team in late 2021.
My dream has always been to have a lifestyle that affords me time in natural spaces whether that’s the wilderness of Africa or the mountains of Cape Town.
A selection of Josh’s images
FROZEN IN TIME
Josh’s sightings
Caught in motion
On the grapevine
Explore content featuring Josh
Keep connected
Follow @joshvdploeg on Instagram
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