29/05/2026
If you’ve stayed with us you may well have met Jobe Kgatlhano, one of the guides here at Thamo Telele.
Jobe began his safari career as a backup driver before joining us back when we were still Royal Tree Lodge and working his way through various roles to attain his assistant guide licence. When the lodge underwent renovation and became the Thamo Telele we know and love today, the opportunity arose for Jobe to join researchers from Natural Selection (NS) and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) as part of the team working on the taxonomic assessment of giraffe in Botswana.
Following his research experience, Jobe was awarded his professional guide licence and became head guide at Thamo Telele, while also working on DNA collection trips with the research team. He delights guests at our giraffe sundowner experience as he’s able to regale travellers with stories about the research being done, what it’s really like in the field, and the conservation work being done for giraffe across Africa.
The DNA collection Jobe was working on is complete for the time being while they await the results, but Jobe has continued as part of the research team for another giraffe movement and tagging project through GCF and NS. He and fellow researcher Katie Ahl joined GCF, Okavango Research Institute (ORI) and Kwando teams to help deploy tracking units to 10 giraffe. As an integral part of the team, Jobe helped safely secure the giraffe as the tags were attached to their tails. He demonstrated exceptional knowledge and leadership, and was instrumental in keeping the giraffe and capture team safe throughout.
“We are so proud of Jobe and his drive and interest in research and conservation,” smiles Katie Ahl. “He has worked hard to better himself and mentor the other guides at Thamo Telele. We can’t think of a better representative in Maun to help tell the story of giraffe conservation in Botswana and throughout Africa.”
