Tanya Trevor Saunders lives on the border of the Tsavo National Park, Kenya. She is the Director of Strategy for the African Environmental Film Foundation, which was started by her father, the cinematographer and wildlife documentary film maker, Simon Trevor.


Since 1998, AEFF has been producing and distributing educational films about environmental issues in Africa, for the people of Africa, in their own languages. These films are distributed free of charge, and are seen by millions of people, predominantly in East Africa, but also a growing number further afield on the continent, and internationally.

Tanya's own background can be seen here and further details of the African Environmental Film Foundation can be seen here.

For her upcoming interview, Safaritalk is giving you the chance to ask the questions: therefore each member can submit one question from which she will select a shortlist of twenty to answer. To submit your question please add it below, but before doing so please look through those already asked so for there to be no repetitions of the same theme. Both Tanya and I look forward to reading your input and there is to be set a two week deadline for all submissions.

The emphasis with Safaritalk is that all members think of it as their own, and one of the aims was to allow people to have direct contact with those in the field, and now with this new form of interview, you have that chance.

Which of Kenya's conservation programs have most successfully involved the local people so they can profit? (Thanks!)

What I know of Kenya is that there 's definitely been some bad reports (pre-elections) on the situation of the parks; a lot of poaching, too many tourists, the delicate balance between the animals and the (ever increasing) Maasai population, and so on...

Of course, these reports are always focussing on one particular issue. Can she give us a more general view? A view from an "insider" so to speak. I'm actually wondeing how things are really going (in the right direction? Or not?)

Another question; provided we have the space for her, would she consider putting some of her films online here?

I've heard that there is a lot of resentment towards wildlife in parts of Kenya. Do you believe this is due to lack of education/awareness of the benefits wildlife brings to Kenya, or it there more to it than that ?

How do you feel conservation is approached by African people - and how much influence should foreign conservation NGOs have in the future?

Hi Tanya,
two questions from me:

what's it like living within the bush and among the animals?

how rewarding is it working with animals, local people and actually doing something that benefits Africa?

My questions for Tanya -

1.) what does she think about the tourists keeping away from Kenya at the moment - is it already encouraging poachers to enter places like the Mara? and what is the overall impact of this entire situation ........ what's her prediction for the future?

2.) What's Tsavo like for those of us who have not been?

Appreciate your contributions to this forum and we are all very lucky to be provided by all the relavant information.

Cheers
Hari

When will there be an online shop where people around the world can buy AEFF’s films? It’d be interesting because of the films themselves and the languages they’re in.

What are the biggest challenges facing conservation in Africa today?

(i.e. I'm thinking is it money, is it local communities that aren't benefitting so aren't supporting, is it corruption/negligence on the part of officials in wildlife service/ government/ national parks, or something else entirely)

I'm interested in this too.

If two questions by one person are too many, then one of mine.


What are you most optimistic about and most pessimistic about regarding wild places and wildlife in Kenya?

What is the one thing that you think makes people watching a wildlife film go out and want to do something to save it. There are so many features, specials, programs that feature nature, but what one element do you think puts some over the top and really inspires people to change?

*and would you ever do a documentary about the conservation field and all its politics invloved, its business side, its dealings with all sides of hunting, with zoos ..the behind the scenes issues that people wouldn't expect to see from the conservation field. (if this would be possible)

thanks.
Brian

Okay this is a call for more questions: Tanya will soon be back home and therefore waiting to respond... does nobody want to know the behind the scenes gossip from "Out of Africa" or "Gorillas in the Mist" in which her father Simon was involved in filming?

If Tanya has any stories which readily come to mind, I'd like to hear them. I liked both movies very much, though I recognised 'Out of Africa' as a very Hollywood-box-office version of Karen Blixen's story. 'Gorillas' was for me more true to Dian Fossey's story. Did the people on location discuss such things?

And what's Tanya's view on the trend which people like myself and sniktawk see in wildlife documentaries nowadays...too much emphasis on entertainment (which includes the presenter-personality cult) at the expense of educating and informing. I think we both recognise that entertainment and information have to go together because a great majority of people want to be entertained, otherwise they're not interested. But are program-makers going too far?

just one question from me.

focusing on education of local communities is definitely the key leading to a real conservation in Africa, but being a bit provocative, and seeing the damage that lodge owners and managers, guides and tourists are able to do, shouldn't we focus on their education also?

I'll chip in with a question/s aimed towards Simon:

As an already established / respected wildlife documentary film maker - how did you become involved in films such as Out of Africa, and how different was it working in the feature film environment?

What attention was brought to you / your work by involvement in said films - and how do you feel they impacted on conservation / tourism in Africa?

A more personal question Tanya, of course you don't have to answer it should you wish not to:

As a girl growing up both in Africa and away from your parents as you grew older, did you ever wish for a more conventional upbringing, and what would be your advice for people thinking of moving to Africa with a young family that may well have to go through the same thing?

Thanks for all the questions everyone...I'm working through my replies now, so hopefully will have something to post fairly soon....after that, if there's anything I haven't covered properly, please feel free to come back to me with more questions....

I must say, Tanya was very kind to hand a copy of the films they have made about Kenyan Wildlife and conservation and they are all very informative and educative. They are meant to educate people about the problems facing the wild life and the wild spaces and are not your typical HAPPY HAPPY Nat Geo moments .........

Topic closed now - the interview had been done and posted here in the interviews forum