Marlice van Vuuren
Marlice Elretha Jansen van Vuuren born 14 May 1976 as Marlice Elrethra van der Merwe, is a popular Namibian conservationist who grew up surrounded by animals on her parents' farm in Namibia where for more than 30 years injured or orphaned animals have found refuge. Marlice also grew up closely with the San Bushmen community and is one of only a handful of white people who can speak their language.
Marlice has been working with animals in film productions since the age of 13 and has worked on a number of well known movies with various celebrities including Angelina Jolie (see Marlice's portfolio). Marlice starred in a documentary about her life "Marlice – A Vision for Africa: A film by Philip Selkirk" in 2008.[1]
Marlice and her three legged cheetah Lucky, featured in an advert for a Volkswagen Golf, shown on South African TV in May 2009.[2]
Family
Marlice married Dr. Rudie van Vuuren in December 2000, then in December 2006 their boy Zacheo was born and in 2011 their second boy Nicklai was born. Together, Marlice and Rudie run Naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary and Lodge.
Conservation achievements
Together, Marlice and her husband work to preserve both African wildlife and the culture of Namibia's original inhabitants (The San community).
In 2003, Marlice and Rudie, along with their pharmacist friend, Chris Heunis and Jan Verburg opened the N/a'an ku sê (Naankuse) Lifeline Clinic at Epukiro, Namibia where the San Bushmen community can be treated free of charge. The Lifeline Clinic is entirely funded by voluntary donations and provides primary healthcare to over 3,500 patients a year in this remote area.
In 2004, Marlice and Rudie bought a 10,000 hectare piece of farmland, 42 km outside of Windhoek to establish their own animal reserve. The Bushman word N/a'an ku sê means 'God will protect us'. They opened N/a'an ku sê's Charity Lodge & Wildlife Sanctuary in 2007. The Sanctuary accommodates mostly orphaned and injured animals that cannot be released safely back into the wild. N/a'an ku sê lodge is an article 21 organisation which donates any profits back into the conservation projects and work with the San Bushman community.
Marlice and Rudie started N/a'an ku sê's Carnivore Research Project to help conserve big cats in early 2008 and the Clever Cubs School, funded by the Clabile Trust, for the San Bushmen children was opened at N/a'an ku sê in November 2009.
N/a'an ku sê works to improve the lives of the marginalised Bushmen community through education, employment, healthcare and improved living conditions. [3]
Filming portfolio
Documentaries featuring Marlice van Vuuren:
- Marlice – A Vision for Africa A film by Philip Selkirk (2008)
- My Life with Bushman
- Run with Lions (Aired in Animal Planet channel Owned by Discovery Networks)
- My Dream for My Predators
- Documentaries featuring Marlice van Vuuren have appeared on Sunday Night on Australian Channel 7, Carte Blanche, National Geographic, New Zealand, Animal Planet and Tippi's Live, Extinction on French TV
Commercials featuring Marlice van Vuuren and the animals at Naankuse:
- Volkswagen Golf Advert (filmed at and around Naankuse featuring Marlice, Lucky the cheetah, cheetahs, baboons)
- Suzuki Grand Vitara (filmed in RSA featuring cheetah)
- Vodacom (filmed at RSA featuring lions)
- Landrover (filmed at Windhoek featuring cheetah)
- Chinese internet connection (filmed at Sossusvlei featuring cheetah)
Films featuring the animals at Naankuse:
- Beyond Borders – Angelina Jolie (vultures)
- Flight of the Phoenix – Dennis Quaid and Giovanni Ribisi
- Mr Bones – Leon Shoester
- Saltering Desert (Bushman translating)
- Hoofbeats (baboons, a cheetah and Bushman translating)
- No 1. Ladies Detective Agency (baboons in Botswana)
- The Magic Journey to Africa 3D (lion, cheetahs, caracals and baboons)
- Bonny and Clyde (cheetah)
- Black stallion (cheetah)
Wildlife photographers whose work includes the San Bushman and animals at Naankuse:
- Gregory Colbert Ashes and Snow Exhibition
- Martin Harvey
- Winni Wisniwskhy
- Julian Andrews
- Werner Bauer
- John Bonovige
- Petra Mette
References
External links
- Naankuse website Wildlife Sanctuary in Namibia run by Marlice and Rudie van Vuuren
Video clips
- Marlice – The Film
- VW Golf ad featuring Marlice van Vuuren, May 2009
- Short documentary made by VW of Marlice van Vuuren & Naankuse wildlife sanctuary, May 2009
- Sunday Night Documentary about Marlice van Vuuren and Naankuse June 2009, Australian Channel 7 TV
- Marlice van Vuuren hugging a lion video
- Marlice van Vuuren drinking with lions video
- Marlice van Vuuren playing with lions video
Other websites
- VW website page Background on Marlice van Vuuren and Lucky the cheetah VW ad
- Gregory Colbert Ashes & Snow featuring animals and people at Marlice's wildlife sanctuary
- Martin Harvey photographs featuring pictures of Marlice van Vuuren
- Fantom Film Links to Beyond Borders, Flight of the Phoenix – films featuring animals from Naankuse
Articles
- Travel News Namibia, page 26 featuring Marlice van Vuuren and Naankuse, 9 Dec/Jan 10
- VW Golf magazine featuring Marlice van Vuuren and Naankuse following Golf ad filmed at Naankuse, Winter 2009
- VW Golf Magazine second article, Winter 2009
- The Namibian newspaper article, 20 Nov 2009 Naankuse Clever Cubs School opens
- The Namibian newspaper article, 9 June 09 Marlice, Lucky and the VW Golf advert
- Die Burger newspaper article, 22 May 09 Marlice, Lucky and the VW Golf advert
- Republikein newspaper article, 20 May 09 Marlice, Lucky and the VW Golf advert
- The Namibian newspaper article, 27 Feb 09 Naankuse release leopard
- Animal Voice article Marlice and her wild dogs, 11 Dec 7
- Carte Blanche feature 13 August 2006
- The Namibian newspaper article, October 05 Marlice van Vuuren starts up new Lifeline clinic at Epukiro