About

The Shepherds of Wildlife Society strives to reconnect people with nature and to preserve and protect wildlife and its habitat through the development of educational and motivational materials. Its award-winning film, “Killing the Shepherd,” educates the public on the valuable role of managed hunting to the well-being of indigenous communities and the survival of African wildlife. The film examines the real world of wildlife conservation and the impacts on rural communities which are tasked with protecting and managing wildlife and its habitat. When community members do not see the benefits of protecting wildlife, the wildlife do not survive.

The film tells the story of a remote African community, led by a woman chief, which attempts to break the stranglehold of poverty by waging war on wildlife poaching. Since the introduction of a hunting ban in the 1980’s, the numbers of local wildlife have been gravely depleted and poverty has set in. Many locals turn to poaching animals to put food on the table.

The documentary illustrates a stark reality: simply passing a law making it illegal to kill animals in Africa without addressing the impacts on the local communities is detrimental to both the people and the wildlife. From a conservation standpoint, the film makes clear that helping wildlife populations thrive in Africa is much more complex than many realize.

Website: Shepherds of Wildlife Society