{{COI|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox person | name = John Jurko II | image = John_Jurko_option_1.jpg | caption = Jurko in 2020 | birth_date = {{Birthdate and age|1982|04|24}} | birth_place = Yankee Lake, Ohio, U.S. | education = | alma_mater = Bowling Green State University (BA) | occupation = Filmmaker, podcaster | website = {{URL|www.johnjurko.com}} }} '''John Jurko II''' (born April 24, 1982) is an American filmmaker and podcaster, best known as the producer and director of the documentary ''Rhino Man'', which focuses on South African rangers protecting rhinos.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-08-05 |title=Rhino Man's Tribute to a Friend and the Future |url=https://www.popmatters.com/rhino-man-john-jurko-interview |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=www.popmatters.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Early life and education == John Ambrose Jurko II was born on April 24, 1982, in Yankee Lake, Ohio. He received a B.A. in both Film Production and Philosophy from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Yankee Lake native is man behind 'Rhino Man' |url=https://www.vindy.com/life/ticket/2024/08/yankee-lake-native-is-man-behind-rhino-man/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=vindy.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Career ==
=== Filmmaking === After college, Jurko began work on a documentary about his family’s role in the development of Yankee Lake, Ohio. The film was intended to explore the history of his great-grandfather, John Jurko (Ioan Jurka), a Romanian immigrant who ran a bootlegging operation during Prohibition and established a resort and ballroom that hosted big jazz bands.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Filmmaker seeks funding for final cut {{!}} News On The Green |url=https://newsonthegreen.com/2017/11/03/filmmaker-seeks-funding-for-final-cut/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Yankee Lake History |url=https://store.yankeelakehistory.com/old/history.html |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=store.yankeelakehistory.com}}</ref> The documentary also planned to feature his grandfather, Paul Jurko, who founded the village of Yankee Lake and served as its first mayor at the age of 21.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wild history behind why Yankee Lake became its own village |url=https://www.wfmj.com/story/36435666/wild-history-behind-why-yankee-lake-became-its-own-village |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=www.wfmj.com |language=en}}</ref>
Before completing the documentary, Jurko moved to Los Angeles in 2012, where he worked in the camera department of various independent films, including Bone Tomahawk,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bone Tomahawk credits |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/bone-tomahawk/credits/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=www.metacritic.com |language=en}}</ref> Stevie D, and Some Kind of Hate.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}
In 2018, Jurko joined the Atlanta-based production company Friendly Human as their production director. It was there that he met Matt Lindenberg, the Founder and Executive Director of the Global Conservation Corps.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Justin |date=2020-06-17 |title=Conversation with Founder Matt Lindenberg |url=https://globalconservationcorps.org/in-conversation-with-matt-lindenberg/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Global Conservation Corps |language=en-US}}</ref> The two organizations were collaborating on the documentary ''Rhino Man'', and Jurko eventually took on the role of lead producer and director.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Behind the scenes on RHINO MAN with Director John Jurko II |url=https://unitedforwildlife.org/news/rhinoman-behind-the-scenes/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=United for Wildlife |language=en-GB}}</ref>
On July 26th, 2022, as ''Rhino Man'' neared completion, Anton Mzimba, the lead ranger featured in the documentary and a friend of Jurko's, was murdered at his home in South Africa.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Nuwer |first=Rachel |date=2022-08-16 |title=Killing of Ranger Protecting Rhinos Raises Fears for Conservation Efforts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/16/science/poaching-ranger-murder-rhino.html |access-date=2024-08-27 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> This event led to Jurko’s introduction to United for Wildlife, an organization founded by Prince William of Wales, which combats illegal wildlife trade. Jurko, along with Lindenberg and others, was invited to the 2022 United for Wildlife Global Summit in London, where he met Prince William and spoke about Mzimba's death and the ''Rhino Man'' project.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prince William Remembers 'Much-Missed' Queen Elizabeth in First Speech as Prince of Wales |url=https://people.com/royals/prince-william-first-speech-prince-of-wales-united-for-wildlife-global-summit/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}}</ref>
The developing collaboration led to a world premiere at a private screening hosted by United for Wildlife, attended by Prince William of Wales and Duchess Sophie of Edinburgh.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Vanderhoof |first=Erin |date=2023-06-14 |title=Prince William Honors a Slain Wildlife Ranger During a Rare Engagement With His Aunt Sophie |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2023/06/prince-william-engagement-with-his-aunt-sophie |access-date=2024-08-27 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref> The event took place on June 13th, 2023 at the Cinema in the Battersea Power Station, London.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Sophie |date=2023-06-13 |title=The Prince of Wales celebrates wildlife rangers at special screening of documentary film RHINO MAN |url=https://royalfoundation.com/the-prince-of-wales-celebrates-wildlife-rangers-at-special-screening-of-documentary-film-rhino-man/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Royal Foundation |language=en-GB}}</ref> Jurko introduced the film to an audience of 150 officials from finance, transportation, law enforcement, and NGOs involved in combating illegal wildlife trade.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 June 2023 |title=The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Edinburgh attend screening of documentary film RHINO MAN |url=https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2023-06-14/the-prince-of-wales-and-the-duchess-of-edinburgh-attend-screening-of |website=Official web site of the British Royal Family}}</ref>
=== Podcasting === From 2014 to 2016, Jurko hosted ''Odyssey & Muse'', a long-form interview podcast focusing on creativity and adventure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-11 |title=About |url=http://odysseyandmuse.com/about/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Odyssey & Muse |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2022, as a way to promote ''Rhino Man'', Jurko began producing and hosting ''The Rhino Man Podcast'',<ref name=":0" /> which focuses on rhino conservation, the poaching crisis, the importance of rangers, and community engagement.<ref>{{Cite web |last=globalconservationcorps |date=2021-11-29 |title=The Rhino Man Podcast |url=https://rhinomanthemovie.org/podcast/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |language=en-US}}</ref> His interviewees have included figures such as David Fein, former U.S. Attorney and Chair of the United for Wildlife Financial Taskforce,<ref>{{Cite web |last=globalconservationcorps |date=2023-02-06 |title=Ep 37: David Fein – United for Wildlife, working to end IWT, and The Earthshot Prize. - RHINO MAN |url=https://rhinomanthemovie.org/ep-37-david-fein/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |language=en-US}}</ref> Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director of the Wildlife Justice Commission,<ref>{{Cite web |last=globalconservationcorps |date=2022-11-11 |title=Ep 27: Olivia Swaak-Goldman – Wildlife Justice Commission's Rhino Horn Threat Assessment. - RHINO MAN |url=https://rhinomanthemovie.org/ep-27-olivia-swaak-goldman/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |language=en-US}}</ref> and Chris Galliers, President of the International Ranger Federation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=globalconservationcorps |date=2023-07-30 |title=Ep 51: Chris Galliers – The future of rangers and the International Ranger Federation. - RHINO MAN |url=https://rhinomanthemovie.org/ep-51-chris-galliers/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Jurko has also appeared on podcasts such as National Park After Dark,<ref>{{Cite web |title=People of the Parks - Rhino Man with John Jurko II |url=https://salamander-magenta-y2sy.squarespace.com/episodes/blog-post-title-three-p4jh4-ywr48 |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=National Park After Dark |language=en-US}}</ref> Pull the Thread: The Wild Life,<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnYO-torAhw |title=Episode 4: Incorruptible {{!}} Pull The Thread, Season 1: The Wild Life |date=2024-06-04 |last=Luminary |access-date=2024-08-27 |via=YouTube}}</ref> and Voices of Nature.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wortman |first=Rebekah |title="Voices of Nature" Podcast {{!}} Episode 11: John Jurko |url=https://globalconservationcorps.org/voices-of-nature-podcast/11-john-jurko/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Global Conservation Corps |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Personal life == In 2014, Jurko embarked on a two-month unsupported solo cycling trip from Vancouver, Canada to Ensenada, Mexico covering over 2,000 miles along the West Coast.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wortman |first=Rebekah |title="Voices of Nature" Podcast {{!}} Episode 22: RHINO MAN Behind the Scenes |url=https://globalconservationcorps.org/voices-of-nature-podcast/22-rhino-man/ |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=Global Conservation Corps |language=en-US}}</ref>
Jurko currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gibbons |first=Shianna |date=Aug 18, 2024 |title=Valley native filmmaker to show documentary in Boardman theater |url=https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/boardman-news/valley-native-filmmaker-to-show-documentary-in-boardman-theater/ |work=WKBN 27 First News}}</ref>
== References == <references />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jurko, John II}} Category:Bioartists Category:American documentary film directors Category:American podcasters Category:Living people Category:1982 births