A 49-year-old Mozambican forest ranger working in South Africa, identified as Anton Mzimba, was murdered on July 26, in front of his family (wife and children), in the semi-rural town of Acornhoek, in the province of Mpumalanga.

Reportedly, three people fired at Mzimba and shook the residence without taking other people's belongings, according to the "Letter." In the raid, the wife contracted injuries and the children remained unharmed.

Local police claim to be on the trail of the individuals, suspected to be professional killers.

According to the 'Letter from Mozambique', Mzimba immigrated to the neighboring country in search of better living conditions. There, he got a job at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, a protected area of the Kruger Park since 1997, and became a 'ranger' the following year.

"I am not afraid to say that I am a hero. Because I know that the poacher, before he shoots a rhino, will shoot me first," the dailymaverick wrote, quoting Anton Mzimba.

Mzimba worked for 25 years in the Timbavati, dedicating his life to wildlife protection. At the 2016 Rhino Conservation Awards, he received the award for Best Field Ranger.

Worldwide organizations linked to conservation and environmental education have launched campaigns to raise funds to support the education of Mzimba's children. So far, $27,992 of the expected $100,000 has been raised, based on contributions from 139 donors.

"This tragic loss serves as a painful and serious reminder of the danger that Anton and other brave wildlife defenders face every day. More than 150 rangers around the world have lost their lives in the past 12 months. Perhaps it is poetic to have Anton's memorial service on World Ranger Day 2022. We have chosen this day to launch the 'Anton Mzimba Education Trust' - a fund that will help support his children's education, supporting his life's long-term passion and inspiring young people to love wildlife as he did," wrote Global Conservation Corps, Inc, which will receive and handle the amount that is intended to be raised.