TED2019
Moreangels Mbizah: How community-led conservation can save wildlife
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Conservationist and TED Fellow Moreangels Mbizah studied the famous Cecil the lion until he was shot by a trophy hunter in 2015. She wonders how things could've gone differently, asking: "What if the community that lived next to Cecil was involved in protecting him?" In a quick talk, Mbizah shares the state of conservation in her home of Zimbabwe -- and why she thinks that communities living with wildlife are the ones best positioned to help them.
Moreangels Mbizah - Lion conservationist
Moreangels Mbizah is the founder of Wildlife Conservation Action, an organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity, promoting human-wildlife coexistence and empowering local communities. Full bio
Moreangels Mbizah is the founder of Wildlife Conservation Action, an organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity, promoting human-wildlife coexistence and empowering local communities. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
I'm a lion conservationist.
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Sounds cool, doesn't it?
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Some people may have no idea
what that means.
what that means.
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But I'm sure you've all heard
about Cecil the lion.
about Cecil the lion.
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[Cecil the Lion (2002-2015)]
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(Lion roaring)
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He roars no more.
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On the second of July, 2015,
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his life was cut short
when he was killed by a trophy hunter.
when he was killed by a trophy hunter.
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They say that you can become attached
to the animals you study.
to the animals you study.
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That was the case for me
with Cecil the lion,
with Cecil the lion,
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having known him and studied him
for three years
for three years
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in Hwange National Park.
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I was heartbroken at his death.
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But the good thing
to come out of this tragedy
to come out of this tragedy
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is the attention that the story brought
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towards the plight
of threatened wild animals.
of threatened wild animals.
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After Cecil's death,
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I began to ask myself these questions:
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What if the community
that lived next to Cecil the lion
that lived next to Cecil the lion
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was involved in protecting him?
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What if I had met Cecil
when I was 10 years old, instead of 29?
when I was 10 years old, instead of 29?
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Could I or my classmates
have changed his fate?
have changed his fate?
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Many people are working
to stop lions from disappearing,
to stop lions from disappearing,
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but very few of these people
are native to these countries
are native to these countries
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or from the communities most affected.
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But the communities
that live with the lions
that live with the lions
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are the ones best positioned
to help lions the most.
to help lions the most.
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Local people should be at the forefront
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of the solutions to the challenges
facing their wildlife.
facing their wildlife.
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Sometimes, change can only come
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when the people most affected
and impacted take charge.
and impacted take charge.
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Local communities play an important role
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in fighting poaching
and illegal wildlife trade,
and illegal wildlife trade,
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which are major threats
affecting lions and other wildlife.
affecting lions and other wildlife.
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Being a black African woman
in the sciences,
in the sciences,
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the people I meet
are always curious to know
are always curious to know
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if I've always wanted
to be a conservationist,
to be a conservationist,
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because they don't meet
a lot of conservationists
a lot of conservationists
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who look like me.
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When I was growing up,
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I didn't even know that wildlife
conservation was a career.
conservation was a career.
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The first time I saw a wild animal
in my home country
in my home country
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was when I was 25 years old,
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even though lions and African wild dogs
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lived just a few miles away from my home.
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This is quite common in Zimbabwe,
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as many people
are not exposed to wildlife,
are not exposed to wildlife,
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even though it's part of our heritage.
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When I was growing up,
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I didn't even know
that lions lived in my backyard.
that lions lived in my backyard.
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When I stepped into
Savé Valley Conservancy
Savé Valley Conservancy
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on a cold winter morning 10 years ago
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to study African wild dogs
for my master's research project,
for my master's research project,
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I was mesmerized by the beauty
and the tranquility that surrounded me.
and the tranquility that surrounded me.
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I felt like I had found my passion
and my purpose in life.
and my purpose in life.
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I made a commitment that day
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that I was going to dedicate my life
to protecting animals.
to protecting animals.
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I think of my childhood
school days in Zimbabwe
school days in Zimbabwe
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and the other kids I was in school with.
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Perhaps if we had a chance
to interact with wildlife,
to interact with wildlife,
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more of my classmates
would be working alongside me now.
would be working alongside me now.
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Unless the local communities
want to protect and coexist with wildlife,
want to protect and coexist with wildlife,
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all conservation efforts might be in vain.
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These are the communities
that live with the wild animals
that live with the wild animals
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in the same ecosystem
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and bear the cost of doing so.
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If they don't have a direct connection
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or benefit from the animals,
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they have no reason
to want to protect them.
to want to protect them.
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And if local communities
don't protect their wildlife,
don't protect their wildlife,
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no amount of outside
intervention will work.
intervention will work.
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So what needs to be done?
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Conservationists must prioritize
environmental education
environmental education
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and help expand the community's skills
to conserve their wildlife.
to conserve their wildlife.
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Schoolchildren and communities
must be taken to national parks,
must be taken to national parks,
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so they get a chance
to connect with the wildlife.
to connect with the wildlife.
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At every effort and every level,
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conservation must include
the economies of the people
the economies of the people
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who share the land with the wild animals.
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It is also critical
that local conservationists
that local conservationists
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be part of every conservation effort,
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if we are to build trust and really embed
conservation into communities.
conservation into communities.
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As local conservationists,
we face many hurdles,
we face many hurdles,
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from outright discrimination
to barriers because of cultural norms.
to barriers because of cultural norms.
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But I will not give up my efforts
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to bring indigenous
communities to this fight
communities to this fight
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for the survival of our planet.
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I'm asking you to come
and stand together with me.
and stand together with me.
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We must actively dismantle
the hurdles we have created,
the hurdles we have created,
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which are leaving indigenous populations
out of conservation efforts.
out of conservation efforts.
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I've dedicated my life
to protecting lions.
to protecting lions.
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And I know my neighbor would, too,
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if only they knew the animals
that lived next door to them.
that lived next door to them.
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Thank you.
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(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Moreangels Mbizah - Lion conservationistMoreangels Mbizah is the founder of Wildlife Conservation Action, an organization dedicated to conserving biodiversity, promoting human-wildlife coexistence and empowering local communities.
Why you should listen
Besides identifying and addressing the threats to lions, other large carnivores and their habitat in Zimbabwe, Moreangels Mbizah also works to promote coexistence between wildlife and the communities that reside alongside wildlife habitats. Mbizah has dedicated her life to seeking ways to jointly address conservation and livelihoods issues to benefit both wildlife and the local communities who are living in abject poverty.
Moreangels Mbizah | Speaker | TED.com