June 17, 2025

204: The Elephant Translocation Disaster with Jens Ulrik Høgh

58 minutes

How does a wealthy animal welfare organisation, funded by well-meaning donors from Europe and North America, end up relocating hundreds of elephants to an area where some of the world's poorest people live? What happens when two people are killed within 24 hours of the first four elephants arriving, yet the organisation presses on with moving another 259 elephants in just 30 days? Why are over 12,500 people now living in terror whilst those responsible show nothing but arrogance when approached for help?

This episode examines a conservation crisis unfolding in Malawi and Zambia, where the International Fund for Animal Welfare's elephant translocation project has gone catastrophically wrong. Journalist Jens Ulrik Høgh returns from his recent trip to the region, where he documented the devastating impact on local communities who had never seen elephants before 2022. Twelve people have been killed, thousands have lost their crops and livelihoods, and children can no longer safely walk to school. Meanwhile, the elephants themselves are being killed in retaliation, making this a disaster for both wildlife and people.

The conversation explores uncomfortable questions about conservation imperialism, the business models of large NGOs, and the stark inequality between wealthy Western donors and the African communities bearing the consequences. Jens reveals how a project that cost less than $2 million has destroyed lives whilst the organisation continues to raise over $100 million annually. This isn't just about elephants - it's about power, money, and the ongoing legacy of colonial attitudes in modern conservation. The episode serves as a crucial reminder that conservation projects are doomed to fail without local acceptance, often with tragic consequences for all involved.