Conservationist and TED Fellow Moreangels Mbizah studied the famous Cecil the lion until he was shot by a trophy hunter in 2015. She wonders how things could’ve gone differently, asking: “What if the community that lived next to Cecil was involved in protecting him?” In a quick talk, Mbizah shares the state of conservation in her home of Zimbabwe — and why she thinks that communities living with wildlife are the ones best positioned to help them.
Besides identifying and addressing the threats to lions, other large carnivores and their habitat in Zimbabwe, Moreangels Mbizah also works to promote coexistence between wildlife and the communities that reside alongside wildlife habitats. Mbizah has dedicated her life to seeking ways to jointly address conservation and livelihoods issues to benefit both wildlife and the local communities who are living in abject poverty.
