So there's this expectation that because I spent so much time in East Africa studying lions

that my most impactful stories will be about lions.

And as it turns out, one of the stories that really was the most moving to me and remains at the top of my mind so, so much,

is about a giraffe that I never even saw alive.

I'm Dr. Raywin Grant, and this is a different kind of nature show,

a podcast all about the human drama

of saving animals. I want to tell you my story and what it's actually like to track bears

in the Sierra's, chase lemurs and Madagascar, live with lions in Tanzania, and do all of that as a black female scientist.

This is going wild.

Poaching in East Africa is a really big threat to wildlife. Poachers go after animals for their hides,

their bones, their organs, all kinds of things. And I was about to experience it firsthand.

It was the year 2009 and I was in the middle of my master's degree.

And my research was to go to Tanzania that summer to work with the African Wildlife Foundation in their Terenguee Lion Project.

In Swahili, that it was translated to Utafitti Wasimba.

So I finally arrived at the camp, and it was this super rugged, you know, roughen it, dirty, scrappy little camp in the middle of the bush.

And although that might be intimidating to some and maybe even a different version of me would have been intimidated, it was exactly what I wanted.

Look at this. You know, I'm part of this team, and this is an exclusive place, you know, for real science. It was a wonderful place to call home for that summer.

So besides me, the team consisted of Ifura, who was our fearless leader.

Stephen, who was a pretty general assistant in all kinds of ways.

E.D., who was a fix-it man.

And then Peter, who was second in command to Ifura.

And he was another up-and-coming scientist, super tall guy.

...