Guardians Saving Earth' s Most Endangered Animals. .

I've been fortunate enough to travel to Africa many times over the years and the continent has always held a special place in my heart. Deep in the Central African Republic lies Zanga Sanga, one of our planet's last great untouched wildernesses. Here, elephants and gorillas still roam through ancient forests, alongside communities who have lived in harmony with nature for generations. But these iconic species remain a target for poachers and protecting them is a daily battle. Madiki is an award-winning ranger who leads a team risking their lives to protect this vital ecosystem. What makes his story even more incredible is that he used to be a poacher himself. Zanga Sanga is teeming with life, with a diverse ecosystem that includes tropical forests and wetlands. Local communities rely on these protected areas for their livelihoods and many traditional practices. The iconic species that live here are critically endangered. This is an Eden under siege. There is nearly two tons of ivory in this room, seized from armed gangs operating in the area. Despite a ban on international trade, the demand for ivory continues to fuel poaching. It's not just guns that threaten the wildlife. Many species get caught in these snares, including the western lowland gorilla, whose numbers have more than halved in the past two decades. The Yuko guards here are specially trained professionals guided by a clear code of conduct. As well as community-based conservation initiatives, they stand against heavily armed poaching gangs. In 2024 alone, team leader Madiki and his patrol unit walked nearly 2,000 kilometers, removing 4,000 snares, seizing 23 weapons and making 11 arrests. And last year, he was awarded the prestigious African Field Ranger of the Year. What makes Madiki's journey even more extraordinary is that he wasn't always a protector. But after years of illegally poaching in the area, something happened that changed everything. After I became a conservator, I wanted to become a conservationist in the Bayanga region. And if we want to protect the wildlife, we have to protect the wildlife first. But if we don't protect the wildlife, we can't do anything about it. So we have to protect the wildlife first. We have to protect the wildlife first. The map also represents the area we are in. This is where we live, this is where we go down, and this is where we are at the moment. This is the northern part of the park. So if we want to protect the wildlife, we have to protect it. We have to protect it. Their next mission takes them to the heart of the danger, Zangabai. Thousands of elephants gather there, making it a prime target for poachers. As there is a chance armed poachers will be in the area, it's crucial Madiki keeps his team motivated and engaged. Discipline, cohesion, and we must learn how to be together. If a poacher comes, he will say, don't you dare touch me. He will threaten you and take you away. He is very aggressive. Sometimes when I see a poacher, I get timid. And sometimes I get scared. I don't want to be scared. I don't want to kill anyone. I don't want anyone to kill me. A clearing rich in minerals, this vital source of nutrients acts like a magnet, drawing in wildlife from every corner of the Congo Basin. Back in 2013, armed rebels stormed Zangabai, slaughtering nearly 30 elephants. Amidst the carnage, Madiki risked his life, hiding to gather crucial evidence of the massacre. The importance of Zanga-Sanga and the work of the rangers operating here to protect it is recognised globally. But the threat is far from over. As well as protecting wildlife from poachers, Madiki's team supports community-based projects like gorilla habituation, working with local trackers. This and other similar projects help generate income for local communities while also safeguarding wildlife for the future. This precious ecosystem, crucial for climate stability, depends on wildlife protection. Individuals like Madiki, through their bravery and dedication, give us hope for this future. In Mexico's Sea of Cortez, a place once called the world's aquarium, life is under pressure. Warming waters, vanishing species and the sheer scale of illegal fishing have pushed this ecosystem to the brink. In this episode, we meet Jose, once an illegal fisherman, now one of the region's most committed guardians of nature. From La Paz, he leads a quiet revolution at sea, building trust, turning the tide and showing how those who once passed the problem can become the ocean's greatest protectors. The Sea of Cortez is one of the most biodiverse marine ecosystems on Earth. However, over the last few decades, overfishing and poaching has devastated marine life and severely damaged the seabed. But one man has made it his mission to keep these waters safe. My name is Jose Luis Deseña. I'm from La Paz, Baja California Sur. I work for ROC as a captain. The Citizen Observers Network, known locally as ROC, is a non-profit made up of local residents who work with authorities to protect the marine environment in La Paz, a region long plagued by hooker fishing, a method of speargun fishing that is banned in these waters. Why do they call it the aquarium? It's very rich, everything is very rich. What you're looking for here, unfortunately, we're running out of it. They walk around with their flashlights, with their pistols, and they're taking everything. I mean, like everything, they take their risks, and a lot of people are willing to do it. And Jose knows the risk of fishing illegally in these waters better than anyone. I used to speargun at night, like a lot of gunmen say. I started spearguning at a very young age. As Jose was one of the most skilled illegal fishermen operating here, ROC asked him to change sides and join them in protecting the sea. Well, I've been invited to work here for 16 years. They invited me to do surveillance, they told me. And yes, we started doing it in the first year. We went out to do sightseeing, and that's when I looked at it. Yes, it's true that we are a lot of those who are working illegally. The Sea of Cortez is home to 900 species of fish. Over 70 of which only exist in this region. The main species that the fishermen look for are the Perico fish, the Pargo, the Goatfish, and other types of marine products. They also look for octopus, lobster, and snail, which are other species that have a high value in the economic market. Today we are going to go out on a night patrol. The strategy, as we always know, normally the spearguning activities at night in the archipelago of Espiritu Santo take place on the east side. Jose and his team are civilian rangers, but as guardians they work closely with local authorities to monitor the bay for illegal boats, most of which appear under cover at night. The night patrols that are done are a strategy that has been implemented and improved due to the experience of our captains. What we are looking for are boats that are spearguning at night. If we don't find them, it's okay. And if we find them, we try to scare them so they don't do anything. Those who don't work for us are very good, I know. They are aware that sooner or later they have to lose us. Because of his past life, Jose knows these waters well. But navigating dangerous seas in the pitch black means taking risks with unpredictable weather conditions, possible collisions with other vessels and encountering armed illegal fishermen. As well as these crucial patrols, no conservation project like this would be sustainable without working with the local community. The fishermen who are in different communities will always try to protect their resources, their families and their work. So, involve communities, mainly fishermen, in issues related to surveillance. They are often looting the product. Local fishers are encouraged to report any illegal activity, such as certain types of speargun fishing, which are prohibited here. But despite the damage to their businesses, they are often reluctant to come forward. It affects us in everything. There is not enough fish. If there was, imagine if there wasn't so much predation. We would be doing too well. For me, being the guardian of the bay makes me proud, really. Because, at first, I destroyed the ecosystem a lot. And now I see the difference in how we were damaging the methods we used for fishing. And now I tell my colleagues, we are destroying the system. So, like I said, when we started at the observatory, there were 58 pangas. Snow leopards are such beautiful creatures, known as the ghosts of the Himalayas. And just having sight of one is so rare that it feels incredibly special. These elusive big cats may be rarely seen, but they share a deep connection with local people. And as the snow leopards' natural food sources have become scarce, they are venturing closer to human settlements in search of prey, killing livestock and leading to conflict with local communities. In this episode, we meet Kaozang, a ranger bridging the space between tradition and progress. His work protects these animals, powers scientific discovery and helps turn fear into understanding, while guiding a new generation towards sustainable coexistence. Kiba village lies against the backdrop of the Himalayas. One of the highest and most fragile mountain ecosystems on the planet, at an altitude of 4,270 meters. Life is at the mercy of the weather here, where temperatures can drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius. And for generations, these villagers have lived side by side with the animals that call this place home. Wolves, sheep, ibex and the snow leopard. My name is Kaozang. I am a field manager here. For the past two decades, Kaozang has worked for the Nature Conservation Foundation, tracking and protecting snow leopards across Spiti Valley. With around 50 animals scattered across these mountains, his work involves dangerous trekking. The snow leopards are very dangerous. I have never seen them before. Although usually very elusive, snow leopards have ventured into human settlements in search of food. It is thought this could be because of a scarcity of prey in the wild. When I was a teenager, I used to search for food in the mountains. So I would look for snow leopards, and I would find them there. Then I would bring them home. If I brought them there, they would be eaten by wolves, wolves would come and take them away. It would be very dangerous for them. The people of Kibur and Chicha village have been helping the Himachal Pradesh Forest Department and the NCF to monitor wildlife and carry out conservation activities. This work provides a sustainable way to earn a living for many of the local villagers. At first, the people of Spiti didn't know much about snow leopards. As snow leopards are an apex predator, healthy population numbers are more likely to indicate a healthy number of prey species and abundant vegetation. All signs of a balanced ecosystem. But conservation in one of the highest altitudes on earth isn't easy. The snow leopard is a very dangerous animal. It can kill you, it can eat you, it can bite you. The Himachal Pradesh Forest Department and the NCF have been helping the people of Kibur and Chicha village to monitor wildlife and carry out conservation activities. 078.2906, that is the number. The Himalayas are also highly vulnerable to climate change. Snow leopard populations are sensitive to these changes, so monitoring them provides insights into the effect of climate change on this ecosystem. 231, altitude is 4017 metres. In recent years, more women have become involved in the mission to protect the snow leopard. A central part of the field team, Lupsang and Tenzing are some of the new members, who alongside Kaozang, monitor the camera traps for sightings. In these mountains, the harsh elements test even the most experienced. This last winter has been one of the heaviest on record in terms of snowfall. Recently, one of Kaozang's team lost their life in the line of duty. The snow leopard is a very dangerous animal. We have to be very careful. His loss is a reminder of the dangers these guardians face. But Funchak's legacy lives on. Through the team's dedication and ongoing collaboration, they are finding ways to understand and monitor these magnificent wild animals, helping to maintain the delicate balance of this mountain ecosystem and ensuring it stays healthy for generations to come. We have to be very careful. Around the world, rangers work steadily on the front lines of conservation. In South Africa's iconic Kruger National Park and surrounding areas, rangers are confronting a devastating rhino poaching crisis that threatens the survival of this awe-inspiring species. Amongst the teams are unsung heroes like Cathy, Felicia and Lucas, guardians who are not only taking on poachers, but also caring for the baby orphaned rhinos they leave behind. Their stories show hope can prevail through dedication, care and courage, even in the face of enormous challenges. Kruger is about 2 million hectares, 20,000 square kilometers. So if you had to equate it in size, it's about the size of Wales. But the size also makes it really complex to be able to manage and to focus our law enforcement operations. And we've put in a large amount of interventions to try and curb the rhino poaching, which we have to a certain degree been successful, but obviously losing even a single rhino is too much. Cathy Dreyer is Kruger's first female head ranger, charged with curbing a nearly two-decade trend which has spiralled out of control. The poaching started off quite slowly. That escalated quite quickly across the whole of South Africa. Unfortunately, last year we saw a big escalation again in poaching. Over the years we've arrested hundreds of poachers, we've convicted hundreds of them, but there seems to be an endless amount of people who are willing to risk their lives and kill rhinos specifically for their horn. And slowly we've just seen that escalate. The demand for rhino horn is driven primarily by its status as a luxury item, used in a variety of ways from traditional Eastern medicine to ornaments and jewellery. This is fuelling a poaching crisis that could lead to the extinction of rhinos within the next few decades. There's so many emotions when you see a dead rhino. I mean, I think anger comes to the forefront. The brutality and the cruelty that goes into poaching. And the suffering that we see in animals that are poached, sometimes still alive, having their horns removed. And the by-product of having all these orphans that are traumatised because they've been involved in poaching incidents. If we do find orphans, we will capture them through with our vets and with our air services and we will fly those animals to Care for Wild where they get specialist treatment. On the fringes of Kruger National Park lies Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary. It stands as a crucial lifeline for orphan calves, where it falls to caregivers like Lucas to give them the help they so dearly need. One success story at Care for Wild is Riri, who arrived in 2023 after her mother was killed by poachers. Lucas formed a tight parental bond with the frail, traumatised black rhino, slowly nurturing her with love and care. Then after that, when they can see that, OK, now the rhino, it's becoming good, they are taking it to the poma. Then at the poma, they start teaching it also how to eat the turf, the natural grasses, taking it out to get used to the out environment. Then when it's big enough, then they release it. The fight to protect Kruger's rhinos is a multi-pronged battle. Dedicated rangers like Felicia risk their lives every day, facing increasingly sophisticated and heavily armed poaching gangs. We have armed poachers coming in. They're willing to kill for rhino and kill for rhino wound and so we've had to train and adapt with the rangers in a way that they can physically and mentally meet those challenges. Delta Oscar, Delta Oscar, we found a fresh snare and we also think we still have the poacher inside the farm over. You need to be fit and strong and you walk long distances. A modern day ranger also has to be really resilient and has to be mentally strong. Obviously we train to the best of our ability, we have a really good canine unit, we have helicopter support, but you never really know what the person is going to do once they are confronted. You may silence everything you say, will or may be used against you in court. Here's the weapon. We have a poacher guys. And often they're willing to turn around and shoot at rangers. Every time there is an armed contact, you really hold your breath and you're relieved when the message comes through that no rangers have been injured. But when we did lose the life of a ranger, obviously it just, well, it almost humbles you and it brings down to earth again the dangers that rangers face. I think we forget that behind a ranger there's a family that's sitting at home and they are very much these days aware of the risks that rangers face. Despite advanced preventative measures, these black market poaching syndicates will do anything to get what they want. They have people that go and gather information in the communities and also people that can maybe follow me. They can also harm my family. They can use my family so that I can tell them all the information about Careful Wild, about the rhino, everything. Ready? Even though tragedy brought them to Careful Wild, the support they receive from people like Lucas and Felicia offer rhinos like Riri the chance to grow, thrive and maybe survive. I'm feeling good when I have got with him, but if I'm alone or if she's alone, I'm not feeling good. I'm feeling a big pain. Because she's my child. I'm so happy and happiness with this small black rhino. Yes, I do have hope that one day the poachers will change. That if maybe one day we keep on teaching the communities, it's going to help by telling the people, teaching them, that these animals are good, they deserve to also live. In the last census there were just over 2,000 white rhino and about 250 black rhino. So we do see that if we can reduce the poaching significantly, that the rhino numbers will recover. It's the perfect ecosystem for them. They don't have any other natural enemies in Kruger except for humans and poaching. And so that's why we really need to try hard and curb what is currently happening and reduce the poaching so we can give that population the chance to grow. A ranger's pledge to the rhino. I joined the fight. I see the fight for your life. Not on my watch. I see your pain. I see the blood that stains the soil of Africa. I joined the fight so you will sleep tight with your little baby tonight. Careful World Ranger Pledge to the world. Not on my watch. I'm proud of myself signing this pledge that I'm ready to save the life of the rhinos. In Sri Lanka, the enduring relationship between people and elephants feels more fragile than ever. With local communities growing and extending farmland, the elephant population's natural habitat is under threat, forcing them to compete with locals for both space and food. As a result, deadly clashes are becoming more common and lives are being lost on both sides. But rangers like Chintaka are working to change that, guiding communities, protecting wildlife and contributing to scientific understanding of these magnificent giants. Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean located to the south of India. It is an island of stunning beauty, ancient history and cultural richness. It is also a country with one of the highest densities of elephants per square mile. These magnificent creatures are vital to the ecosystem, acting as engineers by shaping the landscape, spreading seeds and creating habitats. Without them, the delicate balance of the environment would unravel. But after generations of peaceful coexistence, humans and elephants are locked in a fierce daily struggle to exist. In 2023 alone, over 170 people and nearly 500 elephants lost their lives. Habitat loss, deforestation and agricultural expansion are fueling this conflict. And as humans continue to encroach on elephant habitats, this endangered species is drawn into an ever-deepening fight to stay alive. In the village of Madhu, humans and elephants have lived side by side for decades. Chintaka leads Sri Lanka's elephant ranger team and alongside the Department of Wildlife Conservation, helps manage the relationship between these majestic creatures and local communities. Chintaka has worked for the DWC for nearly 20 years to protect and defend the animals and the region. In order to protect both elephants and the locals, tracking their movements is crucial. Chintaka and his team of rangers are heading out on patrol with the hope to fit one of the elephants they've recently spotted with a GPS collar. The data transmitted from the collar is crucial for uncovering when and where conflicts happen. But collecting it often means stepping straight into danger, something Chintaka had to learn the hard way. Chintaka and his team of rangers are heading out on patrol with the hope to fit one of the elephants they've recently spotted with a GPS collar. Chintaka and his team of rangers are heading out on patrol with the hope to fit one of the elephants they've recently spotted with a GPS collar. The elephant scheduled for GPS collaring has been sighted. Chintaka and his team of highly skilled rangers must move quickly. There's only a small window of opportunity. Tranquilising the elephant gives Chintaka and his team the opportunity Chintaka and his team a chance to safely attach the tracking device, but the animal isn't fully unconscious. One sudden movement could startle it, and with Sri Lankan elephants weighing anywhere from 2 to 6 tonnes, the risk of being trampled is a very real and dangerous threat. The Department of Wildlife Conservation has been involved in extensive research to make sure that the elephant collars being used minimise discomfort for the animal. Chintaka's work offers a lifeline, with every data point helping build a map for co-existence. But as elephant habitats shrink and humans encroach further, the risk of being trampled increases. The risk of fatal encounters for both elephants and humans keep rising. For these elephants, this conflict could push them towards extinction, while Chintaka and his team's work becomes more and more important. Human populations are growing fast, pushing people and wildlife closer together than ever before. Without rangers like Chintaka, this growing conflict could escalate, threatening lives and communities, and the survival of a critically important species. In the north-east of Brazil, in a remote part of the Amazon rainforest, is the Karu indigenous land, a vital ecosystem for the climate, clean air and an abundance of wildlife. This area is under increasing threat from criminal gangs, engaged in illegal logging, poaching, wildfires and the constant demand for natural resources. Among those defending it are gay haidas, or women warriors, standing firm for their people, their land and a way of life passed down through generations. In this episode, we witness their courage in helping protect not just the forest's future, but the culture and wisdom rooted within it. The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world, home to one-third of the Earth's terrestrial plant and animal species, and is vital for a stable climate. But this vital ecosystem is at a tipping point, with vast areas of rainforest destroyed each year. The Karu indigenous territory is home to the Guajajara people, who have lived on this land for hundreds of years and have seen its devastation firsthand. To fight back against illegal deforestation, the women of Guajajara have formed the Guerreras de Florista, which translates as Warriors of the Forest. Their goal is not just to protect their territory, but to preserve a culture that is inextricably linked to this land. Talking about the word warrior is like talking about a defender. It's defending the land. Defending the land is practically like defending a child. Guerreras de Florista is an organization that has been bringing a lot of hope to other women. And everything that is good needs to be copied. That's why women are getting inspired by warriors, because the work is working. We've been in this fight since 2014. We were about eight women at the beginning, and today we are 42. All of this is important, because our territory was heavily invaded, devastated by lumberjacks. One of the key roles of the Forest Warriors is to patrol their territory, locating illegal activities and alerting the authorities. Maísa Guajajara, one of the original women warriors, stands on the front line in the battle to save the Amazon. This region is well preserved, but we believe that there are some invasions here, both by hunters and lumberjacks. From my point of view, from what I see, I think they don't come from far away, they come from far away, to do this kind of illegal activity inside the territory. The biggest risk is for non-indigenous people to kill indigenous people, because there have been confrontations. There have been confrontations between our guardians, when they see themselves in an ambush. To protect their land and themselves, Maísa and the other warriors are highly strategic. They plan detailed patrols using cutting-edge technology, like drones for oversight and GPS cameras, to create an irrefutable log of every illegal act. We have already faced several situations where we had to do monitoring on foot, without any kind of equipment, without any kind of help. I think the issue of equipment has improved a lot in this work of territorial protection today. The drone was one of the main things that helped us find several illegal acts within the territory. But despite these measures, the Karu Indigenous Territory continues to be a target for illegal logging. We are here in a region that is very conflicted. We have just arrived here, and we see that there is fallen wood, a fallen tree, and this is very sad for us, because we do so much preservation work, but non-indigenous people think that the tree is worth a lot to them, because they sell it. They take the wood here to resell. As pressures on the Amazon intensify, the devastating impact that increased deforestation has had on the environment has come into stark focus. We see climate change happening in the Amazon. With this process of climate change, we see a lot of drought, or even flooding. The plantations are not in time as they used to be. And all this will affect our daily lives as indigenous peoples. Because in 2015, we had a very big fire within the territory. One of our warriors was with us. She was with us in this fight to put out the fire. After the fire, she got sick, and then she died. If we lose someone who is in the fight with us, we get sad, because our fight is collective. Sonia Guajajara, who grew up just south of the Karu Territory, is the Minister of State for the Indigenous Peoples in Brazil. Through her decades-long efforts to protect the rainforest and indigenous culture, she has become a key voice for the Guajajara people. For me, what gives me strength is always going back. Because whenever I go back to the territory, I realize how much women still depend on that place. Even with all these invasions, illegal exploitation of wood, the devastation of the territory, the Guajajara people still keep their culture alive, their parties, all the rituals. When we have a party, all that excitement, all that joy, that spirituality, we connect directly with our ancestors. So, for us, why do we have to preserve? Because here we have an origin. I think that today the global indigenous movement has a very strong campaign, which says that we are responsible. So, it is necessary for humanity to understand the role of the peoples and the indigenous territories for the protection of biodiversity, for the protection of the environment, and for this balance of the climate, which everyone is looking for far away, but which is actually there, in these people who still protect with their own way of life. I feel good here in the forest because we work in the territorial protection for this, for us to live free, breathe the pure air, and see the songs of the birds, of the hunts. And through what we have been doing, we have been maintaining our culture, our tradition as an indigenous people.