Special Episode — Recorded live at the Oppenheimer Research Conference 2025.The global conservation debate is loud — but often poorly informed about what people who live with wildlife actually think. In this revealing episode, researchers Dr. Darragh Hare (Oxford) and Dr. Lovemore Sibanda share evidence from multi-country surveys exploring views on militarised conservation, ranger powers, trophy hunting, wildlife crime penalties, and protected area governance. What they found is both nuanced and surprising:• Communities living near wildlife aren’t always opposed to ranger enforcement• Support varies dramatically depending on governance models• Magadi (Kenya) stands out as a case where community scouts foster high acceptance• Assumptions from global media often misrepresent local realities• Sustainable conservation must factor in perspectives of those most affected A crucial episode for anyone designing policy, funding projects or shaping the future of African conservation.