Founder / President
Mike Veale is a southern California native who has worked extensively with animals for the majority of his conservation career. From a young age Mike has been passionate about nature, wildlife, and anything he could do to protect it. He focused on gaining any experience he could from a young age, taking on some of his first conservation projects at the age of 14, as a Boy Scout. As a Senior Wildlife Care Specialist at San Diego Safari Park he had unparalleled access to two of the last remaining North African White Rhinos as well as dozens of other endangered species.
In 2014, after years of watching the wild populations of animals under his care rapidly dwindle, Mike decided to take action. His lengthy wildlife care career, combined with his experience in conservation, working as a ranger in California, and active, combat-sport-heavy lifestyle, it gave Mike the unique experience needed to fight on the front line of conservation. Mike traveled to South Africa and passed an intensive boot camp training required before finally becoming an anti-poaching ranger in Greater Kruger National Park. After several months of working specialized rhino protection details, in counter poaching operations, Mike returned to America, and Global Conservation Force was formally founded. He continues to go back and forth between the US, Asia, and Africa working on direct impact wildlife conservation projects, community based conservation programs, and anti poaching patrols.
Mike spends his downtime fishing, camping, backpacking, surfing, free-diving, off-roading, training in Muay Thai, and shooting competitions.