IEF’s monthly Conservation Chats are a unique opportunity to directly connect with conservation work happening a world away. Guests include rangers, scientists, veterinarians, and project leaders speaking about their work and taking your questions.

Our July Conservation Chat will be on World Ranger Day (July 31st) with Amos Gwema. Amos Gwema is the Principal Intelligence Officer for Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and is responsible for all Wildlife Intelligence in Zimbabwe. He has 25 years experience in law enforcement, first as a police officer then as a wildlife ranger. Amos has secured over 290 convictions, which is a record for any ranger in the country. He takes a community approach to conservation, seeing communities as the first line of defense against wildlife crime. In 2020, he won Tusk Wildlife Ranger of the Year, and was recently featured on the nature series program ‘A Year On Planet Earth’.

Amos is a 2023 IEF Conservation Grant recipient and has been actively educating community members about conservation and wildlife crime, including using community street plays.

Amos teaches, “If you see something, say something and do something.” Recently a farmer (pictured second from the left) found a pangolin in his field–a very rare occurrence given that pangolins are nocturnal. Learning through Amos’ conservation efforts that they are the most trafficked animal in the world the farmer notified authorities and protected the pangolin until it could be captured and released into safe habitat. This is a testament to the effectiveness of outreach and working with communities as conservation partners. See a short video of the rescued pangolin below.

Amos reports that your donations are already making a difference, “Thank you for the support. The grant has done wonders and more needs to be done. I am humbled by the recognition you gave me and support.”

Join us on World Ranger Day for the Conservation Chat with Amos Gwema. Sign up for free here, and see you on Monday, July 31st at 9am PST/11am CST.

You can watch some of our previous Conservation Chats on our website here, and we will continue to add more!