National Geographic Wild

Safari adventurer Jean Du Plessis explores how both big-game trophy hunting and anti-poaching efforts are part of the conservation strategies in East Africa.

Ultimate Africa: Game Rangers
Follow Jean Du Plessis on a wild and exhilarating journey throughout East Africa. From raiding poaching camps in remote swamps to encountering human-lion conflicts, Ultimate Africatravels the continent from the perspective of someone who understands the complexities and challenges of the region firsthand. 

Crosshairs of Conservation takes an inside look at the controversial subject of big game hunting in East Africa and how large wildlife reserves in Tanzania are able to sustain themselves through selective sport hunting. Jean also looks at how the proceeds from hunting go to help large scale conservation projects. Jean joins members from the Friedkin Conservation Fund on Anti-Poaching patrols in the Moyowosi Eco-System. 

In the second episode, Dying Pink, Ultimate Africa looks at the conflict outside of National Parks in Tanzania between predators and Masai livestock. In part two Jean investigates the die-off of 40,000 pink flamingos in Lake Manyara national, and goes off on an adventure to check out other lakes to see if the die-off is isolated or affecting all the volcanic lakes that support flamingos. 

In Ghosts of Udzungwa we travel to Udzungwa National Park which is considered to be one of the world’s greatest bio-diversity hot spots, and is home to two newly discovered monkeys. Plus there’s a trip up Mahale Mountain where one of the largest populations of chimpanzees can be found to look at the pressures facing our closest living relatives. 

For the past three hundred years, the Masai tribe of East Africa have inadvertently been the protectors of the Serengeti. Its not done out of love for wildlife, but out of preservation of their own culture, and a way of life that co-exists with the animals. In Guardians of The SerengetiJean investigates the old and modern protectors of the Serengeti and discovers the impact tourism is having on the park and the Masai. 

Jean heads to Kenya to meet the Rhinos of Ol Pejeta and joins an operation to mark and relocate seven endangered rhinos. During the operation he goes off in search of a missing rhino named Millenium. The rangers had feared that may have been attacked by lions... 

Jean discovers the Lost world of Gabon when he ventures to Gabon West Africa where the country is looking to develop a tourism industry. He explores wild beaches, and goes off in search of un-habituated gorillas. There’s also a visit to Kongou Falls, one of Africa's most spectacular waterfalls. 

Fugitives of Laikipia returns to Ol Pejeta where management are forced to deal with problem elephants that use their tusks to break through electrified fence and raid local villagers, crops. 

Outside of the professional hunter, few people ever visit Maswa, an area along the Western boundary of the Serengeti. Every year as the wildebeest migration passes through, the poachers move in. Shadows of The Serengeti witnesses the FCF’s anti-poaching team in the Maswa Game Reserve launch of a major operation to eradicate the poachers before the Migration commences. 

From walking elephants to hunting with the Hazabe Bushmen, Jean takes viewers to some of his favourite spots in Tanzania. During Journeys into The Bush, Jean's trip is put into jeopardy by the eruption of the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano.