Guardians of the Wild

The Lilayi Elephant Nursery near Lusaka in Zambia is home to four orphan elephants. The two oldest, four-year- olds Musolole and Zambezi, have been here since they were just a few months old. These boisterous babies are out-growing the nursery and it’s time to move to big school. Two hundred miles away, in the heart of Kafue National Park, lies elephant heaven - Camp Phoenix, the project’s release facility, where older orphans are already adapting to life in the wild.

Kasanka National Park in Zambia is home to an unusual species of baboon. Kinda baboons have turned their backs on the aggressive displays of dominance usually associated with these large monkeys and lead altogether more peaceful lives. Living alongside one troop is a dedicated team of researchers whose mission it is to uncover these baboons’ secrets and understand what makes them who they are.

Meet Madonna, a very special monkey. She’s the first Kinda baboon ever to be studied from birth to adulthood and now, critically, she’s looking for a mate. Only recently identified as a species in their own right, Kinda baboons are little known and little understood. But Madonna is helping change all that. She may just hold the key to unlocking the secrets of the Kinda’s unique female-male relationships. These are baboons like no others.

Across Africa 97% of black rhinos have been killed for their horns. In 1997 the species was declared officially extinct in Zambia. But now, thanks to an ambitious reintroduction plan, they’re back. Poaching hasn’t gone away – their horns are still prized in Asian medicine. But a small, dedicated team are fighting to keep them safe. This is the frontline of conservation – it doesn’t get any tougher.