I have traveled and worked in over a dozen African countries in the zoo and wildlife industry for more than 35 years. Africa has fascinated me for as long as I can remember, and through my travels over the years, the fascination for Africa’s people and its wildlife is in my blood, making me feel as if I’m coming home every time I travel there.

To most Americans, Africa is referred to as a “country” rather than a huge complex continent encompassing every climatic zone, 56 countries, and well over 4,000 individual cultures. Due to this immense diversity, Africa’s wildlife conservation issues vary widely throughout the continent, with wildlife holding its own in some countries while suffering greatly in others.

There is no easy, one size fits all solution that’s works to fix the challenges facing wildlife’s survival. We here in the west tend to have an easy “solution” for…