‘His compassion extended to all creatures’
It was a cold, grey English day when Breaktime News phoned Dingo some two years ago to chat with him about his conservation work in South Africa. The phone immediately lit up with his enthusiasm and zest for life.
The temperature may have been very chilly in the UK but there was real warmth coming from thousands of miles away.
We had been due to meet on Zoom that morning but Dingo Dinkelman had received a ‘callout’ that day and so the interview was going to be by phone as he trundled his way through the outback.
Dingo’s often described as South Africa’s version of Steve Irwin. It’s an apt description as both of these conservationists were passionate about wildlife and protecting fragile ecosystems around the world.
His aim for protecting the environment extended beyond reptiles and encompassed a wide range of creatures – including rhinoceroses and elephants. When we spoke, he’d just planted more than 600 trees as part of a conservation project.
His social media platforms quickly clocked up millions of views as a worldwide audience tuned into his live broadcasts to watch him working closely with a variety of snakes in a reptile house.
Each week saw Dingo take questions from people queuing up online for a ‘super shout out’ for their loved ones.
A worldwide audience during lockdown
Viewers tuned in during lockdown as it provided a chance to ‘escape’ from the confines of their own homes as they sought to understand a key part of the natural world from a leading herpetologist.
His live broadcasts would see him handling some of the world’s most dangerous snakes as he explained more about their behaviour – and their habitats.
By this year, Dingo had gained upwards of 600,000 followers on Facebook with more than 100,000 subscribers on YouTube. His goal was to show us all how these creatures shouldn’t be feared – but respected.
During our interview, we asked him why he thought he’d captured the imagination of so many people – especially when he had some initial reservations about how it would be received.
‘I never thought we would clock 75 million views. We are all fallible people and I asked myself, will anyone watch this but the family and the dog?’
‘My parents asked how we would make money from it. We got to 1000 subscribers and then to 10 to 15 thousand then imagine getting to a million. It’s an achievement and we’re grateful. Part of me wants to pinch myself.’
‘It’s creating a connection between animals and people so we can care more about the animals. We never thought it would make the impact that it has.’
‘When you hear someone say ‘your videos have changed my life’ then it makes it all worthwhile. It’s humbling.’
‘For me, reptiles are a love of mine, but I love everything from turtles to Great White sharks.’
Media statement released by Dingo’s family
Sadly, in the autumn, Dingo was bitten by a snake and was rushed to hospital where he was placed into an induced coma. He died on 26 October. A media statement was released on behalf of his wife, Kirsty Dinkelman:
‘While Dingo was renowned for his involvement with snakes and other reptiles, his compassion extended to all creatures.’
‘There was a special place in his heart for African mammals, his favourites being elephants, rhinos and lions, as well as our own giraffe, Elliot. But it was truly his love for his family that was always behind his purpose, drive, and passion.’
‘One of Dingo’s greatest joys was being able to have his family work so closely with him. Our three children Taylor (14), Maddy (12), and Rex Dinkelman (9) were central to Dingo, who never missed an opportunity to express his love and pride for his family.’
‘Anyone who met Dingo was immediately entranced by his larger-than-life personality. He was a fearless conservationist with a contagious enthusiasm that made others simply want to be around him.’
‘His passion was matched only by his incredible sense of humour which, all who knew him can attest to, made every day with Dingo one to cherish.’
‘As he once said: “My passion, my calling, the reason I have been put on the face of this Earth, is to help people to connect with animals.’
‘I’ve always believed that we need to convert the unconverted – to reach people who’ve had absolutely no experience with nature and wildlife, who are scared of snakes and afraid of getting dirty, and to get them passionate about conservation.’