Ruan I. Stander

Ruan Stander has been interested in reptiles and amphibians since early childhood. He grew up in the city of Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg), Limpopo Province, South Africa and has also lived in Modimolle (formerly Nylstroom) and Vivo. He has spent most of his life in the Limpopo Province and currently resides in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Ruan has been deeply fascinated by all aspects of the natural world from an early age. He has 16 years’ experience working with wild reptiles and has conducted fieldwork in Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Africa, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. Ruan served on the expert identification panel of the Biodiversity and Development Institute (BDI) and the FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology ReptileMAP project from 2016 – 2024. Since 2015, he has diligently studied the reptiles of the Limpopo Province and Kruger National Park – the subject of his first book, published in September 2023. In February 2024, he co-authored Blouberg Nature Reserve: A Visitor's Guide. 

Stander has been writing and publishing since 2016. In addition to his two books, Ruan has contributed numerous articles (both popular and scientific) as well as a variety of scientific short communications. He also provides peer review for the African Journal of Herpetology, African Herp News and Herpetology Notes. Ruan is an avid photographer and his images are featured in publications such as A Complete Guide to the Snakes of Southern Africa, Snakes of Malawi and Conservation status of the reptiles of South Africa, Eswatini and Lesotho.

Ruan has several years of experience in the tourism and field guiding industry, as well as research and administration in the tertiary education sector. He currently works in reptile and amphibian conservation in the private sector.

Ruan Stander's photographs of African reptiles are featured in the following publications: