Why this matters
Decades of criminal poaching of bushmeant and habitat destruction has emptied these lands of wildlife and degraded entire ecosystems.
Communities which rely on this habitat have suffered as a result leading to sever poverty and hunger.
How you can contribute
We already funded our operation to bring wilflife back to the region. We now seek to fundraise to document this operation to help bring attention to how we can all contribute to restore not only ecosystems but entire communities.
Capturing the wildlife restoration effort through cinematography, aerials, interviews, and real-time field storytelling.
Documenting local chiefs, scouts, conservation leaders, and families connected directly to the land and wildlife.
Ensuring this story reaches audiences worldwide through editing, social storytelling, podcasts, media outreach, and educational distribution.
Creating a permanent public record proving that conservation rooted in stewardship and human dignity can work.
Fundraising Closes Soon
July: Wildlife restoration operations begin. Capture, transport, and acclimation.
August/September: Animals released into restored habitat. Expedition participation opportunities for major donors.
Fundraise Window Closed
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Progress
Phase i: Wildlife Trap & Transfer
$150k - Fully Funded
50 Cape Buffalo & 50 Puku Antelope ready to return.
This phase is fully funded and the transfer from Zambia National Parks to the Lower Luano will deploy July 2026
Phase iI: Documenting the Return
$100k - Fundraising Now
This phase will support field cinematography, community voices, and global storytelling.
This will be proof that conservation rooted in human stewardship works.
OPERATION: RETURN OF THE WILD
Campaign Target: $100,000
Looking to support at a higher tier? Contact us for acces to our Elite Tiers.
Shepherds of Wildlife Society is a registered U.S. nonprofit (IRS EIN: 82-4489052). All contributions are made to a verified entity operating in partnership with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife.
- Regular price
- $25.00
- Sale price
- $25.00
- Regular price
Wildlife Restoration Media Campaign
Project Mission
Thanks to the help of our community, we have funded Operation: Return of the Wild to restore wildlife to Zambia. Part two of this mission is to fund the media campaign to film the project and bring more awareness to the importance that conservation can have on rural African communities.
This project funds the film crew to capture the operation.
Our Role
Shepherds of Wildlife is not conducting the wildlife capture operations.
Our role is to:
- Raise the funds required to carry out the documenting of the restoration
- Document the operation for global audiences
- Educate the public about how wildlife restoration actually works
The capture and relocation will be conducted by professional wildlife teams in Zambia who perform these operations regularly.
This restoration effort will be documented as a major storyline for the upcoming documentary: Killing the Shepherd: Return of the Wild
Supper Tiers
$25 — FIELD SUPPORTER
Help document wildlife returning to Zambia’s Lower Luano Valley.
$50 — RESTORATION WITNESS
Receive campaign updates and behind-the-scenes field access.
$100 — CONSERVATION BACKER
Exclusive campaign updates and documentary access.
$250 — FOUNDING STEWARD
Recognition on the campaign supporter wall.
$500 — PRODUCER CIRCLE
Signed film/book package and campaign recognition.
$1,000+ — EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CIRCLE
Private updates and recognition as a lead supporter helping document the restoration.
Backers
(Please allow time for your name to appear.)
Executive Producer - $5000+
Cyndi Flannigan ($5,000)
John and Susan Stransky
Executive Producer - $1000
Anonymous (2x)
Restoring the wild builds community
This mission goes beyond the return of the puku antelope and cape buffalo. When these critical species return not only does the ecosystem thrive, but also the communities that rely on these precious resources.
COnTINUING OUR MISSION
In our debut film Killing the Shepherd, we dove into the stranglehold of poverty in Africa and shed light on the need for responsible conservation.
Dive-in Deeper with the book
Incredible stories are often left on the cutting room floor during the film editing process. Killing the Shepherd: Beyond the Film delves deeper than any film. Gritty and raw, this book will take the reader through a transformative process providing hope for the future of Africa’s wildlife. It also provides a business blueprint enabling rural communities throughout the dark continent to realize their most basic human rights.
