Frank Carlisle was born and grew up in the Little Karoo in Oudtshoorn and it was here and from his father that his love of the wilds and open spaces was born. He joined KZN Parks, having completed his Nature Conservation studies in Cape Town, initially working with the iMfolozi Trails section as a Trails Ranger, before becoming a Section Ranger. He ran the Mbhuzane section of the reserve, which entailed fenceline management, anti-poaching, rhino monitoring, lion monitoring, maintenance of roads, waterholes, field ranger outposts … and much more. It was here that he met his wife, Julie and where his oldest son was born.
After seven years, Frank moved back to the Southern Cape and became involved in the guided, self-drive tourism industry. He established his own business, Bhejane 4X4 Adventures in 2007, which he has successfully developed and grown to the operation that it is today.
Frank’s passion for the wilds, links to and love of rhino and deep concern for the poaching atrocities that are taking place led him and fellow directors to establish the Rex for Rhino Conservation Fund as a means to support those who are working in the field, fighting the good fight and battling the poaching war daily.