Defenders of the Wild

Ivan joins a team of wildlife detectives on a sting operation to rescue a pangolin that is being illegally sold. He then learns how these animals are rehabilitated and ultimately released.

Ivan explores the current state of the fastest animals on earth their conservation and their future. He participates in the delicate operations of the capture and moving of several individuals.

Wild dogs are one of Africa's most endangered canines likely with less than 6000 remaining in the wild. Ivan engages with a specialist team to participate in an initiative growing their home range.

Vultures are vital to ecosystems yet their numbers have been plummeting. Ivan heads into an African medicine market where vulture parts are traded and joins research efforts to protect the species.

Ivan visits a community-led conservation initiative that is both cherishing and benefitting from the rewilding of a large landscape.

Alligators were brought to the brink of extinction by the leather trade. Ivan engages with the modern day commercial trade of gators and sees how this practice is securing a future for the species.

Leopards are incredibly successful predators due to their stealth. Ivan joins a team to attempt to capture and collar a leopard in an area where little is known about these elusive cats: at night.

The Bahamas is so much more than a beach resort destination. Ivan engages with the locals and learns about the health of the underwater ecosystem diving with the fiercest predators: Tiger Sharks.

The Namibian coastline is home to a little known predator—the brown hyena. Ivan spends time at an isolated seal colony where a research project is revealing their secrets.

Namibia is home to Africa's largest seal colonies due to the rich marine life. This abundance leads to competition with humans for resources. Ivan joins an NGO removing plastic from unlucky seals.

In many areas of urban Africa troops of primates become a severe nuisance. Ivan engages with wildlife managers to explore the realities of this problem and ways to live with these cute pests.

From high-tech transmitters to advances in immobilization medicine Ivan explores the many aspects of technology's role in conservation and learns that the future is indeed bright.

Hippos are notorious for being Africa's most dangerous species but Ivan sets out to dispel that myth—all while capturing them in a remote part of Namibia to better understand their movements.