Nature, Nurture & Nonsense

Anna Dimitriadis & The Adventure of Nature Storytelling

This week, Rutendo chats with Anna Dimitriadis, a BAFTA-nominated wildlife filmmaker and presenter whose work takes audiences deep into some of the world’s most remote environments — from beneath Antarctic icebergs to the jungles of Central Africa. Best known for her work as a cinematographer and presenter on Big Cats 24/7, Anna combines cutting-edge technology with deep field experience to capture intimate — and sometimes never-before-seen — moments in animal behaviour. In this episode, Anna opens up about exploring the outdoors as a child while imagining herself as a spy, her deep connection to the water, and how, after being told science “wasn’t her thing,” she carved her own path into wildlife filmmaking. She also shares the thrill of capturing never-before-seen footage — so intense it sets off the heart-rate monitor on her smartwatch — and why she wants to see more women behind the camera telling stories about the natural world.

Sibling Chat: Agree To Disagree

This week, Rutendo and her sisters Tadiwa, Ishe & Mbiri talk about agreeing to disagree. How do we have fruitful debates about nature, conservation and everything in-between without ending up in an echo chamber or alienating each other? How do we avoid "click bait" arguments and make space for evolution of thought? In the midst of that, they discuss the family's debating styles - from Ishe who hates confrontation, to Tadiwa who likes to tell it how it is. They also get into some friendly debate about who is the true King of the Jungle (the answer will surprise you), and which apocalyptic scenario is more likely - Jurassic World or Planet of the Apes? Production & Editing by Rutendo Shackleton Sound by Izwi Wazara

When Loving Animals Is Complicated with Lee Putman

On this week’s episode, I’m joined by artist Lee Putman. We go from his Sundays spent with his Nan and Grandad—reading nature books and exploring the woods behind their house—to building @factsandfineliners, where he explores the beauty and tension in our relationship with animals through his art. He shares how he navigates the contradictions in that relationship—caring deeply about animal welfare while recognising the ways we benefit from them—and why the answers aren’t always clean. Through his work and short films, he opens up those questions, inviting us to sit with the discomfort and think a little deeper about the lives we’re part of. Production & Editing by Rutendo Shackleton Audio by Izwi Wazara

Conflict or Coexistence?

In this episode, Rutendo and her siblings, Tashinga & Mbiri, tackle one of conservation’s most complex questions: what do we really mean by human–wildlife conflict—and is true coexistence even possible? They explore the messy, nuanced reality of how people and wildlife share space, and why simple answers don’t hold up. They also reflect on Rutendo’s interview with Greta Iori, unpacking her insights on embracing the grey areas of conservation and rethinking how we define coexistence. Produced & Edited by Rutendo Shackleton Sound by Izwi Wazara Research by Maya Masters

The Nuances of Conservation with Greta Iori

On this week's episode, Rutendo is joined by international adviser, conservation expert, and accredited conflict mediator Greta Iori. Greta is working at the forefront of global conservation—tackling the illegal wildlife trade, shaping nature–climate policy, and navigating the complex realities of human–wildlife coexistence. As a founding fellow of Women for the Environment Africa and former lead on human–elephant conflict strategies with the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation, her work spans over 25 countries and sits at the intersection of ecology, policy, and social justice. But beyond the titles, this is a conversation about rethinking conservation itself. We talk about Greta’s childhood in Ethiopia, the moment she realised veterinary medicine wasn’t her path, and how her journey led her into political ecology. We also explore why the label “conservationist” can feel limiting, and why meaningful conservation work requires embracing nuance, complexity, and our full humanity. This episode is about systems, identity, and what it really means to coexist—with each other and with the natural world. Production & Editing: Rutendo Shackleton Sound: Izwirashe Wazara