Living with the Wild

As Africa's human population continues to grow, people and wildlife are sharing the same landscapes more than ever before. For many communities, living alongside elephants and other wildlife is part of everyday life. It brings moments of incredible beauty, but also real challenges.

Living with the Wild is a five-part documentary series from IFAW that explores what coexistence really looks like. Through the voices of local communities, traditional leaders, conservationists and rangers, the series goes beyond the headlines to uncover the realities of sharing space with wildlife, and the innovative solutions helping both people and nature thrive.

Join us as new episodes premiere every two weeks on YouTube.

The Challenge of Coexistence

For centuries, people and wildlife have lived alongside one another. Today, growing populations, expanding infrastructure and changing landscapes are increasing the pressure on both.

When elephants raid crops, predators attack livestock or communities lose access to natural resources, the impacts can be devastating. For families already facing daily challenges such as food security and access to clean water, living with wildlife can come at a significant cost.

Conservation cannot succeed without recognising these realities. Lasting solutions must protect wildlife while also improving the lives of the people who share these landscapes. Coexistence is not simply about preventing conflict. It is about creating a future where both people and wildlife have the space and opportunity to thrive.

IFAW's Approach

At IFAW, we believe conservation works best when it starts with people.

Across Africa, we partner with local communities, governments and conservation organisations to develop practical, long-term solutions that reduce conflict while protecting wildlife. These include securing wildlife corridors, supporting community-led conservation, improving access to water, strengthening livelihoods and creating safer landscapes for both people and animals.

This work forms part of IFAW's Room to Roam initiative, a visionary approach to reconnecting, restoring and protecting the landscapes that elephants and other wildlife need to survive. By keeping habitats connected and supporting the communities who live alongside wildlife, Room to Roam is helping build a future where coexistence is possible.

Over the past few years, Living with the Wild has taken filmmaker Michael Zomer into some of Africa's most remarkable landscapes. But what stayed with him most were the people who live alongside wildlife every day.

"Spending time within these communities gave me a perspective I could never have gained from the outside. Every landscape is different, every community has its own culture, history and relationship with wildlife. The more time I spent listening instead of assuming, the more I realised that meaningful conservation can only grow from local knowledge, trust and collaboration.

I hope this series leaves viewers with a deeper appreciation for the people behind these stories, and for the countless efforts, big and small, that are helping build a future where people and wildlife can coexist."

Michael Zomer, Filmmaker

The story does not end with one episode.

Across five episodes, Living with the Wild explores the many dimensions of coexistence, from human-wildlife conflict and wildlife corridors to community-led conservation, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.

Follow the series as a new episode premieres every two weeks and discover the people, the challenges and the solutions shaping the future of conservation across Africa.

Stay tuned for Episode 1, premiering Saturday, 22 August.

Aerial view of elephants walking through Amboseli, Kenya.