Rhino in Zambia illustration

Claire Lewis: Bye, bye, poachers! The black rhinos and elephants are back in North Luangwa

While in most places, we hear about rhinos and elephants being killed, in North Luangwa National Park in Zambia, one of the most untouched wilderness sanctuaries in Africa, the situation is quite the opposite. This little-known park is home to Zambia’s only black rhino population, which continues to show one of the highest growth rates in Africa, and Zambia’s largest, most stable and ever-increasing elephant population.

On this episode, Claire Lewis, a British conservationist who manages the park, talks about:

  • What it’s like bringing up three kids in the wilderness
  • How the rhinos, elephants, lions and wild dogs have recovered from poaching
  • What it was like to reintroduce rhinos who had gone extinct
  • Why having too many rhinos is risky and where they plan to put them
  • Why this park is so successful in protecting its wildlife
  • How conservation is also about managing people

You can listen to the podcast on all major platforms, including Anchor, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or Stitcher.

A Black Rhino

During the conversation with Claire, I mentioned my interview with Arthur Sniegon. If you are interested in elephants and how we can save them, just listen to the interview now.

Conservationist Claire Lewis has been living and working in North Luangwa National Park with her husband Ed Sayer and their three children since 2007. She is the Technical Advisor at the Frankfurt Zoological Society, a conservation organization which created the North Luangwa Conservation Programme with the Zambian Department of National Parks and Wildlife in 1986.

For more wildlife illustrations, you can go here.

6 thoughts on “Claire Lewis: Bye, bye, poachers! The black rhinos and elephants are back in North Luangwa”

  1. Chiukepo Mtonga

    Very insightful conservation success in NLNP and truly it hasn’t been easy but through consented efforts, determination, resilience & focus. Big ups to Country Director , T. A and FZS as whole for continued support to save magnificent wild animals

  2. Amazing podcast, informative and educative about the North Luangwa ecosystem. It would be interesting to learn more about other national parks in Zambia and see if they are making headways in securing wildlife. Thank you so much for sharing.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *