Dean Schneider, a 26-year-old Swiss, not only left his well-paying job but also sold all his belongings to move to Africa to be with wild animals. This move from the lap of luxury in Switzerland into the African animal kingdom amply proved his dedication to protect wildlife. Of course, he's so right when he says, "We only protect what we love." Not That Long Ago, He Was Living In Europe. He Moved To South Africa.

This was Schneider's idea to live his dream, the reason why he left his job as a financial planner in Switzerland, traveled to South Africa and set up the Hakuna Mipaka establishment. Incidentally, Hakuna Mipaka in Swahili means 'no limits'. According to him, "Hakuna Mipaka is a way of living which originated from the five core values – freedom, loyalty, appreciation, brotherhood, and boldness." There Are All Kinds Of Animals.

It's Literally His Life's Work. How Did He Get So Passionate About Animals? On the Hakuna Mipaka site, he says he developed "an immense fascination for the animal world" at a very young age, and has always prioritized supporting animal protection organizations. Hakuna Mipaka is spread over the 300-hectare estate and mainly caters to lions born in captivity. In addition, it also has a separate area for other wild animals, such as impalas, kudus, zebras, hyenas, baboons, and many others. He provides these animals an opportunity to live in freedom.

What motivated Schneider to take this bold step was his fascination for animals from his very childhood. He firmly believed that people should respect animals, nature, and behavior. This is what attracted him to animal documentaries and drove him to make various animal protection organizations an important part of his life. You Can Feel The Love. "Through this incredible love to animals, he learned to understand these wonderful creatures as well as gaining the ability to build a special bond with them," the site notes. "Schneider's heart belongs entirely to the Wildlife." It's A Multifaceted Mission.

Once Schneider set up Hakuna Mipaka, he got down to understanding the nature of various wild animals that he encountered and tried to build a special bond with each one of them. Today, he educates people by revealing the beauty of these amazing creatures through his Instagram page, where he has over 570,000 fans. As regards Schneider's mission, he says, "My mission is to reach as many people as possible and educate them about the wildlife and the beauty of the animal kingdom. I believe in the power of knowledge, passion, and visual stories in order to change people's perceptions and save wildlife."

While the animals get a better life pretty much as soon as they arrive at Hakuna Mipaka, the organization is also dedicated to educating people about wildlife and the animal kingdom. Schneider outlines his general mission on the Hakuna Mipaka website, writing, "I believe in the power of knowledge, passion and visual stories in order to change peoples' perceptions and save the wildlife."

If you share Schneider's passion for animals, you can also become part of the Hakuna Mipaka family and work hand in hand with him in either recording videos as a videographer or giving a helping hand as a volunteer. For this, you simply need to visit his website. Could you ever drop everything, move away and pursue a dream like this? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check Dean out on Instagram and visit Hakuna Mipaka. Image credit: Dean Schneider