Podcast Summary: Robin's Nest from American Humane

Episode: Connecting Habitats, Saving Elephants: Hilde Vanleeuwe on Wilder Things and the Future of Wildlife
Release Date: November 3, 2025
Host: Dr. Robin Ganzert
Guest: Dr. Hilde van Leeuwen

Overview

This episode features Dr. Hilde van Leeuwen, an acclaimed conservation biologist and founder of Wilder Things, discussing her three-decade journey protecting Africa’s elephants and the transformative power of connecting habitats through innovative conservation. Dr. Van Leeuwen shares hard-won insights about transitioning from activism to scientific strategy, the challenges of modern wildlife protection, and the future of wildlife conservation. The conversation sees both host and guest delving into the nuances of effective animal protection, the importance of ecological corridors, specific field anecdotes, and the hope technology and collaboration bring to safeguarding endangered species.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dr. van Leeuwen’s Path to Conservation

• Early Motivation: A deep, lifelong empathy for animals fueled her work, initially manifested in bold activism, later channeling into strategic, science-based conservation ([01:58]).
  • “My aim is to save as many animals and wild places as I can whilst I’m alive.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [01:59]
• Shifting Focus: Realized that traditional protected areas were insufficient for sustaining large species like elephants due to demographic growth and habitat fragmentation ([03:36]).

2. From Activism to Scientific Management

• Methodological Innovation: Helped pioneer indirect observation methods for forest elephants, coupled with GIS mapping, to assess vast and inaccessible areas where aerial surveys are impossible ([02:59]).
  • “Together with some savvy scientists, we created indirect observation methodologies … combined that with GIS to make maps that showed where the animals [and] threats are.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [03:13]
• Impact in Congo: Managed a vast, half-marine, half-terrestrial national park (Konkwa Tiduli) in Congo Brazzaville ([04:19]). The application of focused protection zones eradicated poaching and doubled the elephant population through in-migration.
  • “If you create core areas … you start attracting animals from outside, because elephants are very savvy at finding the safe places.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [04:38]

3. The Major Threat of Habitat Fragmentation

• Paper Parks & Revitalization: Many African protected areas exist only on paper, lacking management or funding. Dr. van Leeuwen worked to survey and revitalize these “forgotten gems” to reignite donor interest and management efforts ([05:17], [13:00]).
• Kenya Collaboration: Consulted for the Kenya Wildlife Service to adapt forest elephant survey methods, critical since only 5% of Kenya’s landscape is forest ([06:25]).

4. Corridors, Rivers, and Connectivity

• Habitat Corridors: Emphasizing the need to protect migration routes, especially as landscape connectivity is disrupted by human settlement ([07:40]).
• River Corridors: Innovated river-based wildlife corridors, leveraging elephants’ natural behaviors of following rivers, which also can’t be easily settled or developed. Restoration benefits all species and local humans through ecosystem services ([07:51]).
  • “If you protect elephant habitat, you protect everything else in it.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [08:38]
• Real-World Implementation: Initial successes around Mount Kenya, with other organizations now seeking to replicate the model.

5. Lessons in Impact and Advice for Aspiring Conservationists

• From Recklessness to Strategy: Shared hard lessons transitioning from confrontational activism (which had put her at risk) to measured, fact-based intervention ([09:19]):
  • “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, as they say. So I became more savvy about it and a bit less reckless and a bit less naive.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [09:36]
• Importance of Field Experience: Illustrated by stories of exploring remote parks on foot, discovering both miraculous wildlife havens and devastating poaching sites ([11:09], [12:28]).
  • “I walked thousands of kilometers of elephant trails and we found gems… but also … horror clearings, where there were like 500 carcasses.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [11:28]
  • Her early mapping in Otsala National Park led to quadrupling its protected area ([12:28]).

6. Tech, AI, and Emerging Methods

• Science & Technology: Endorsed the ongoing integration of new tech, including drones and AI, but noted that in dense forests, traditional line transect methods remain vital ([10:29]).
  • “We still use the line track transect methodology … with that, we make distribution maps of those signs and we know where the threats are, we know where the elephants are.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [10:37]

7. Wilder Things and the Funding Environment

• Founding Wilder Things: Left the Wildlife Conservation Society after 20 years to launch Wilder Things, focused on cross-organization partnerships for scalable impact ([13:32], [15:30]).
  • Introduced innovations like automatic “elephant gates” and sand dams in Tsavo.
  • Struggling to secure new funding as global crises diverted traditional US-government finance ([14:17]).
• The Kiesling Prize: Became a finalist for the international species conservation prize. Recognition renewed her optimism ([15:32]):
  • “The message came that I was a finalist and I literally jumped about 2 meter high.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [15:53]

8. Future Plans & Grantmaking

• Prize Aspirations: Clear plans for additional funds: seed Kenya SPCA, construct another Tsavo sand dam, and scale river-corridor restoration ([16:48]).
  • “It’s novel … I hope … in this political climate that … some more funds [will become] available for such things.” — Dr. van Leeuwen [17:39]
• Recent Achievements: Created the first elephant protection plan for the dangerous Upemba National Park, DRC, bringing it back from abandonment ([17:42], [18:36]).

9. Collaboration and Inspiration

• River Corridors in South Africa: Dr. Ganzert shares that Global Humane is creating its own river-based corridor in the Bushman’s River, reintroducing rhinos and elephants ([18:49]).
  • “River corridors are hotspots for biodiversity and if you bring back some of the keystone species … the circle of life is so beautiful in a river based area.” — Dr. Ganzert [19:02]
• Recognition & Support: Global Humane awards Dr. van Leeuwen a $10,000 grant to launch the Kenya Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ([19:24]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dr. Hilde van Leeuwen on her life’s work:
  “My aim is to save as many animals and wild places as I can whilst I’m alive.” [01:59]
• On the impact of focused conservation:
  “If you create core areas … you start attracting animals from outside, because elephants are very savvy at finding the safe places.” [04:38]
• On discovering the reality of poaching:
  “We also found … horror clearings, where there were like 500 carcasses … both these discoveries helped expand the park to 13,600 square kilometers.” [11:38]
• On the novelty and hope of river corridors:
  “It’s novel. And because it’s novel, I’m hoping … there might be some changes … that will again also bring some more funds available for such things.” [17:39]
• On receiving positive news:
  “The message came that I was a finalist and I literally jumped about 2 meter high.” [15:53]
• Dr. Robin Ganzert on the river corridor approach:
  “River corridors are hotspots for biodiversity … the circle of life is so beautiful in a river based area.” [19:02]
• On direct support:
  “Global Humane Society is honored today to offer you a grant of 10,000 US dollars to help you launch the Kenya Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.” — Dr. Ganzert [19:24]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:21]—Dr. van Leeuwen introduces herself, name pronunciation, and earliest motivations
• [03:13]—Combining indirect survey methods with GIS mapping for elephant conservation
• [04:19]—Park management in Congo and success in population recovery
• [05:17]—The challenge of “paper parks” and revitalization efforts
• [07:40]—Discussion of habitat fragmentation, migration routes, and innovation in corridor design
• [09:19]—Transition from activism to scientific strategy
• [11:09]—First forays into field conservation; following elephant trails and major park expansion
• [13:32]—Leaving WCS and founding Wilder Things; partnership-driven conservation
• [15:32]—Becoming a Kiesling Prize finalist and renewed hope
• [16:48]—What Dr. van Leeuwen would do with the prize funds
• [18:49]—Global Humane’s Bushman’s River Corridor and reintroduction efforts
• [19:24]—Announcement of $10,000 grant for the Kenya Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Closing Reflection

Dr. Hilde van Leeuwen’s journey epitomizes determination, scientific innovation, and the power of partnership in conservation. Her river corridor strategy offers promise for the future of elephants, while her stories inspire anyone passionate about global wildlife. The episode concludes with hope and real-world support, as Global Humane invests directly in Dr. van Leeuwen’s next chapter.