Mya Zeelie is a lively and curious 5-year-old girl from Hoedspruit who has become popular online sharing her love for wildlife and her country on social media. Her eyes lit up with excitement when she saw a bird flying by or a squirrel scurrying up a tree. Chanyn-Lee Zeelie, Mya’s mom, says her daughter looks up to her dad who is a ranger. “She wants to dress up like him and look for animals, he most definitely sparked her interest and passion for wildlife.”
“She went on her first game drive when she was only two months old. Watching her grow up in this natural and wild world is a true blessing. She is living a childhood dream,” says Chanyn-Lee. One of Mya’s favourite activities is going on nature walks with her family taking in the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind. Mya’s mom says they would encourage their daughter to one day take up a role in conservation “Both her parents are very passionate about nature.”
“She is already shining such a positive light on the world of conservation and wildlife. She does however also want to be a singer or swimmer; we can’t wait to see what she does in the future. We support her either way.” She adds that Mya loves zebra and giraffe. Some days her favourite animal is a zebra and other days, it’s a giraffe. “Mya has seen elephants, buffalo and leopards from her house, this is why she, unfortunately, can’t have pets.”
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“One day, we walked on the pathway in the lodge when we heard growling in the distance. A pride of lions had made a kill close to one of the rooms. Mya got a bit of a fright before we took her to a vehicle nearby. She stood her ground very well,” she says. Mya’s mom says her daughter’s love for wildlife goes beyond just admiring animals from afar. “She is also passionate about conservation and protecting the environment. She understands the importance of caring for our planet and the creatures that call it home.
Mya often talks about wanting to help save endangered species and preserve natural habitats.” Mya can be followed on Instagram, Mya in Wild Land where she has 53 000 followers. On TikTok, she boasts 44 000 followers and on Facebook 50 000 followers. “We are very surprised by the amount of engagement Mya in Wild Land has received. It started as a little family project, and it organically grew from there. We are so grateful for all the love and support she has received,” concludes Chanyn-Lee
