Host and filmmaker Tom Opre discusses dynamic topics with some of the most well-known and recognized experts on wildlife and habitat conservation. It's a no holds barred, reality-based conversation about all the things Wild under man's ever increasing shadow.
Ep 57 - From Festival to Field: Raw Audio Preparing for Operation Return of the Wild
Recorded on location in Zambia's Lower Luano Valley in July, this episode takes listeners inside the early preparation for Operation Return of the Wild. Tom Opre and photographer Tony Bynum attend a traditional festival in Shikabeta, reconnect with the rural communities at the heart of the project and speak with conservationist Roland Norton about what has changed since the filming of Killing the Shepherd.
This is raw audio from the field—before the arrival of the buffalo and before anyone knew whether the operation would ultimately succeed. It captures the people, the landscape and the difficult groundwork required to restore wildlife in a place where conservation must also create tangible benefits for the communities living alongside it.
Learn more about Operation Return of the Wild at http://www.shepherdsofwildlife.org
17 Sept 2026
Ep 57 Tony Bynum, Photographer and Roland Norton, Wildlife Conservator
Tom Opre and photographer Tony Bynum return to Zambia's Lower Luano, where conservation is inseparable from the people who live alongside wildlife. From a traditional festival in Shikabeta to conversations with longtime conservationist Roland Norton, they explore how the region has changed, the pressures created by development, like poaching and human-wildlife conflict, and efforts to restore both wildlife and local livelihoods. Along the way, they visit the newly constructed boma that will receive buffalo being translocated into the area, offering a firsthand look at what conservation actually requires on the ground.
8 Sept 2026
Ep 56 - Trinity Vandenacre, Content Creator, Life in the West
What does conservation really mean, and when does protecting nature become removing people from it?
Filmmaker Tom Opre sits down with Montana rancher, horseman, and Life in the West creator Trinity Vandenacre to discuss conservation versus preservation, wildlife management, hunting, ranching, predators, wildfire, and forestry.
The conversation also turns to the emerging financialization of nature, including carbon and biodiversity credits and whether putting a monetary value on ecosystems could ultimately change who controls natural resources.
Are we managing nature for abundance, or simply trying to keep people out of it?
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
165,980
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
3 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 36 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
25
Social presence
0
YouTube
82
Engagement
32
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