My grandmother said it very simply: "If you don't like dogs, you don't like humans, and vice versa." I really believe that.
In terms of economical aspects, reinforcing those national parks with sophisticated anti-poaching patrols - these poachers are beefed up like the army. In the case of Cameroon, that's a perfect example of the lack of finance. The government could not provide the national park with more guards. Therefore, they lost the majority of the elephant population. I don't want to see that anywhere else.
Many of the local institutions and politicians and veterinarians are involved in illegal trade. To crack that down, it's a big crime and big names to reveal.
I think there is a scientific approach to it and there is a political approach to it and an economical approach to it. All of this combined, we might find a solution.
There's so much beauty in Africa, but it's not endless.
We are all going to die. When it happens in such a drastic, inhuman way, which we've been seeing in Africa, this is crime on its highest level. It is affecting not only the security of the national parks, it is affecting the people in communities that live around the national parks. In terms of security for wildlife and our society, it's an incredibly alarming situation, and we need to address that.
There's so much beauty in Africa, but it's not endless. We have to prevent these crimes and these awful, awful killings. I just hope people pay attention to it.
South Africa is not Cameroon. It's a strong economy. I think they should be the first ones setting an example - improving the legal punishments for those that are involved, reinforcing the borders from every angle, meaning that even the diplomatic plane that lands in South Africa should not have the green light to leave without having the plane inspected. Obviously, those guys are often involved. If I get killed for saying that, so be it. That is the fact. There's way too many important people that are involved that don't want to change.
There's politics. When you talk about Asia - no one really wants to approach that full-force because it's very thin ice. No one wants to harm the relations with Asia, where most of those products are going to and being exported to. Many of the local institutions and politicians and veterinarians are involved in illegal trade. To crack that down, it's a big crime and big names to reveal.
In terms of security for wildlife and our society, it's an incredibly alarming situation, and we need to address that.
If you have appreciation for life, whether it is a planet or any wild species, if it's a human or an elephant, death is really bad for all of us to adjust to. We are all going to die. When it happens in such a drastic, inhuman way, which we've been seeing in Africa, this is crime on its highest level.
I think we all have a piece of wild in us that we want to protect. It was a very organic choice for me to support this organization [African Wildlife Foundation].
The continent is incredibly exciting. When I first went there, it consumed me, and I instantly felt like I wanted to be engaged one way or the other, whether on a philanthropic level or business. I'm lucky to say today that I do both. In terms of African Wildlife Foundation, I started working with them roughly around 2009, on the ambassador level. Then I joined the board and was exposed to deeper issues that the Foundation was combating on the continent.
