Zimbabwe’s Elephants Then vs. Now | Gordon Putteril on 50 Years of Change

Gordon Putteril, a veteran elephant guide from Zimbabwe, joins Robbie for a rare and powerful conversation about what African wildlife looked like decades ago—and how it has changed over the last 50 years.

00:00 Gordon Putteril Wildlife Journey Begins
01:17 From Game Ranger Dream to Zimbabwe Parks Legend
06:50 Why Zimbabwe Has Africa’s Toughest Guide Standards
11:08 Are There More Elephants Than Ever Before?
13:17 The Largest Elephant Translocation in History
17:22 Human-Elephant Conflict and Management Challenges
20:23 What Elephant Populations Looked Like Decades Ago
24:52 When Elephant Numbers Exceed Carrying Capacity
27:00 The 1992 Gonarezhou Drought Disaster
33:19 How 1,000 Elephants Were Captured and Relocated
36:12 Are Hunters Eliminating Africa’s Biggest Tuskers?
40:21 The Mystery of Africa’s Vanishing Super Tuskers
45:18 Old-School Wildlife Management vs Modern Conservation Narratives

In a world where opinions often outweigh lived experience, Gordon brings something different: firsthand knowledge from the ground. Having worked with Zimbabwe’s Parks Board since the 1970s, he has witnessed shifts in elephant populations, habitat conditions, and conservation strategies that few people alive today can speak to.

This episode explores the reality of long-term wildlife management—how elephant numbers have fluctuated, how landscapes have changed, and what lessons can be drawn from decades of hands-on conservation work.

If you care about elephants, conservation, and understanding the difference between perception and reality, this is a conversation you don’t want to miss.