In this episode we speak with M. Sanjayan, the CEO of Conservation International. Born in Sri Lanka, raised in West Africa, educated in the U.K. and the U.S., Sanjayan has seamlessly blended a lifelong passion for nature, an education in science, a powerful gift of storytelling, and a commanding global presence to becoming one of the world’s foremost experts on protecting and expanding nature for the future of humanity.
 
In today’s episode, we will discuss a variety of topics, ranging from the work of Conservation International to how we can bring more financial capital to efforts that protect nature and - most exciting - Sanjayan’s insights about what is over the horizon for nature, each of us, and our communities.

31. M. Sanjayan and the Future of Nature

Our guest in this episode is Kurt Steiner. Kurt is a long-time conservation law enforcement innovator and the creator of the Ranger Rifle. Among his many roles over the years, he was the Head of Law Enforcement at African Parks Network from 2025-2017. While there he was responsible for the development and implementation of a law enforcement strategy for increasing from 600 to 1,100 counter poaching rangers, across multiple regions in 12 countries.

In this conversation, we dive deep into Kurt's path into conservation law enforcement. We dig into what it means to be a ranger, aspects of ranger training, what he learned during his time in the Congo, and what rangers need to be effective and well-supported. Kurt takes us through the process of developing and testing the Ranger Rifle, and why there is such a need for this specialized firearm.  

Kurt is full of wisdom and great stories. His passion for rangers shines through in everything he does. I can't wait for you to jump into this conversation.

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Subscribe, Like, and Review The Rhino Man Podcast on #YouTube, #Spotify, and #ApplePodcasts  today!

Listen here: https://rhinomanthemovie.org/podcast/

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Sponsored by Wildlife & Co. They're on a mission to protect Earth's ecosystems and wildlife. Buy amazing apparel and support conservation. Visit: https://wildlifeandco.com/

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CREDITS
Produced by @theglobalconservationcorps
Music by @simon.wilson.music
Host @johnjurko

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Thank you for listening to The Rhino Man Podcast. If you enjoyed this episode and you're excited to see the film succeed, please subscribe and review our podcast on #Spotify and #iTunes. Then follow us on Instagram and Facebook @rhinomanthemovie. More details about Rhino Man, the social impact campaign, and future screenings are at https://rhinomanthemovie.org.

To learn more about the Global Conservation Corps and their work visit globalconservationcorps.org, sign up for the newsletter, and follow GCC on all of the social platforms.

If you liked this podcast, make sure to subscribe to and catch up on GCC's Voices of Nature Podcast, where Bob Ludke interviews a wide range of people who have dedicated their lives to making a difference in conservation.

A special thanks goes out to Simón Wilson for the music for this podcast. He is the brilliant composer for Rhino Man the movie. Learn more about his work at https://www.simonwilsonmusic.com/.

Ep 56: Kurt Steiner - Conservation Law Enforcement and Creating the Ranger Rifle.

A conservation podcast hosted by filmmaker John Jurko II about rangers, rhinos, and what we can do to stop the poaching crisis. Recorded in support of the Global Conservation Corps' feature-length documentary, RHINO MAN. A film about the courageous field rangers who risk their lives every day to protect South Africa's rhinos from being poached to extinction.

Ep 56: Kurt Steiner - Conservation Law Enforcement and Creating the Ranger Rifle.

The Rhino Man Podcast

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