OUDTSHOORN NEWS - From a modest crocodile farm to a leading wildlife destination, Cango Wildlife celebrates four decades of protecting wildlife and inspiring a love for nature this year.
In 1986, Andrew and Glenn Eriksen moved to Oudtshoorn and took over a local crocodile show farm, dreaming far bigger than the place they found.
Forty years later, that dream has grown into Cango Wildlife, a multi-species wildlife destination dedicated to conservation, education and the protection of endangered species.
According to Douglas Eriksen, CEO of Cango Wildlife, the story began long before the family arrived in Oudtshoorn.
As a young man, his father, Andrew, discovered Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals. During a vulnerable period in his life, the book gave him something to hold on to and sparked a lifelong desire to build his future around wildlife.
“What began as a modest city flat slowly filling with animals eventually became the foundation of a much bigger vision: creating a place where people could connect with wildlife and understand why its protection matters,” says Douglas.
Cango Wildlife's story began in 1976, when it was established as South Africa's first crocodile show farm. It opened its doors to the public a year later, with crocodile breeding and sales at the heart of its operations.
Douglas says when his parents, Andrew and Glenn Eriksen, took over the farm in 1986, they had a much bigger vision for its future.
They wanted to create a place where people could experience wildlife up close, learn about endangered species and understand why protecting them matters.
That vision took another important step forward in 1988 when the Cheetah Preservation Foundation was established. Through breeding, research and awareness programmes, the foundation focused on helping protect one of Africa's most vulnerable predators.
Today, Cango Wildlife is home to more than 90 animal and reptile species.
Douglas says the celebration is about much more than looking back at what has been achieved. It is also about recognising the many people who have been part of the journey.
“Forty years later, that belief remains at the heart of everything we do, and it has never been carried by one family or one team alone,” he says.
“It has been shaped by the people who believed in this place before it was easy to do so: the partners who walked beside us, the friends who championed our work, and the supporters who stayed with us through the quiet seasons as well as the busy ones.”
A birthday celebration for the community
To celebrate four decades of wildlife, conservation and connection, Cango Wildlife invites the public to join its series of special events in November.
The next event, the Born to Be Wild 40th Birthday Bash Concert, is on 7 November, bringing music and birthday festivities together for a memorable celebration.
The 40th Birthday Bash Open Weekend on 7 and 8 November offers free entry for the local community.
This offer runs from 08:30 to 13:00 on Saturday 7 November, and from 08:30 to 16:30 on Sunday 8 November.
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