Human-Wildlife Conflict in Africa

We set out to document and uncover the untold story of human-wildlife conflict in Africa.

This issue is becoming a serious threat to wildlife and conservation areas due to the the increasing population and pressures on wilderness areas.

It also affects the livelihood of many people, on a daily basis.

It is an issue without a simple answer.

The documentary aims to tell the story of key characters on the ground, who face daily challenges in terms of living alongside Africa’s wildlife – we show it from their eyes and to hear their point of view on this topic.

Our hope is to educate individuals around the world on what is happening – in many areas this problem is now reaching crisis level and we hope the documentary will help uncover solutions, connect communities, conservation authorities, and government.

What happens after the documentary is hugely important to us as a team – we want to see positive steps taken that allows for humans and wildlife to live side by side long term in Africa.

We are focusing only on one area – but this is truly a microcosm of what is happening in Africa as a whole and in many other parts of the world.

We follow the Grumeti Fund, navigating through the challenges of human-wildlife conflict and working to find solutions that enable people and wildlife to peacefully co-exist.

Purpose

To provide a comprehensive, balanced and objective overview to the scale and severity of human-wildlife conflict along the western boundary of the Singita Grumeti concession area (comprising IGGR, Ikona WMA and village grazing land).
The documentary assesses the conflict from both a human/community perspective and from a wildlife/conservation point of view.
Mitigation strategies, including an electric western boundary fence, should be examined and discussed for efficacy and desirability according to the various stakeholders’ views

Goals

Convey to the viewer the extent, magnitude and nature of HWC in a comprehensible and digestible manner;
Objectively examine HWC from both a community and conservation perspective, demonstrating the negative impact of HWC on both people and wildlife;
Mitigation strategies, including an electric western boundary fence, should be examined and discussed for efficacy and desirability according to the various stakeholders’ views
Highlight and explore potential HWC/HEC solutions according to the views of both community members and protected area managers

Benefits

Put a face to human-wildlife conflict – when reading scientific articles or technical reports on HWC/HEC the actual impact and scale of the conflict on both people and wildlife is not easily or effectively relayed and understood.

Show powerful visuals of crop raiding elephant destruction and retribution killings of wildlife as well as hear first-hand accounts from frustrated community members and overwhelmed protected area managers about their experiences at the coal face. Effectively conveying these ongoing challenges will tell a far more vivid, comprehensive and compelling story about an escalating conflict where there are currently few winners and the status quo has to change.

Credits

Directed by
James Suter & Charlie Luckock
Director of Photography
Oli Caldow
Produced by
Sam Suter
Executive Producers
Banovich Studios
Grumeti Fund
Edited by
Ronet van der Walt
Benjamin Haskins
Sound Design & Final Mix
Juice Audio
Online Editor & Colourist
Leon Visser
Animation
Maker Moving Pictures
Production Manager
Lauren Cawley
Production Coordinator
Savannah Lee-Warden
Production Assistants
Diana Nkambule
Andrew Gibbs
Camera Operators
Keenan Ferguson
Naude Heunis
Camera Assistant
Brett Wegener
Additional Directing by
Garth Kingwill
Sacha Specker
Additional Editing
Zee Muller
2nd Assistant Editors
Dumisani Sibanda
Niven Hans
Grumeti Fund | Characters
Head of Special Projects
Grant Burden
Head of Operations for Law Enforcement
Gotera Gamba
Community Outreach Program Manage
Frida Mollel
Head Scientist | Research and Innovation for the Serengeti Ecosystem (RISE)
Dr. Kristen Denninger-Snyder
Grumeti Fund | Ground Support
Head of Communications
Beverly Burden
Executive Director
Stephen Cunliffe
Head of Sustainability and Outreach
Katherine Cunliffe
Relationships Manager
Ami Seki
Ecologist
Noel Mbise
Law Enforcement Manager
Wesley Gold
With special thanks to
The Brown, Madden & Cline Families
Empowers Africa
Eyes on You Safaris
Big Life Foundation

Bonchugu Village
Rd. Justin Chamanche
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI)
Tanzanian Wildlife Management Authority
In memory of
Wambura Marwa Range

How can you help?

Along the Western corridor of the Serengeti ecosystem in Tanzania lies a big problem. Human-wildlife conflict. This area sees expanding human populations and shrinking wild spaces. People are suffering from wildlife attacks and loss of livelihoods when wild animals raid their crops and kill their livestock. Wild animals are suffering as their natural habitats get smaller, forcing them into what are now human settlement areas.

Human-wildlife conflict exists all over the world, from leopards killing people in India to elephants crop-raiding in Africa. While every situation requires a different set of mitigation tactics, in the western Serengeti the construction of a fence is the most recent solution to be implemented, effectively separating human areas and wild spaces without impacting on the natural movement patterns of wildlife.

This is just one way in which human-wildlife conflict can be prevented, but it is the most successful method to date. It will allow people and wildlife to live safely and free from danger.

We want to see a future of peaceful co-existence for people and wildlife in this area, and the fence will enable this to happen. You can help to save the lives of people and wildlife by purchasing a meter, or more, of this fence. You can help to change lives for the better.

This documentary aims to contribute to change, as do many of our films, so that a positive future can be created.

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