A roster of celebrated African and Hollywood names is lending its voice to conservation in “ZBC’s Wild Africa Adventures,” a new 13-part television series launched by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation on 30 June 2026.
Black Panther stars Danai Gurira and Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o headline an ensemble of ambassadors joining the production, alongside actor Djimon Hounsou, musician Focalistic, comedian Josh2Funny, and gospel singer Amani.
Their involvement forms part of a wider push by Wild Africa, the campaign’s producing organisation, to harness celebrity influence in raising awareness of the continent’s conservation challenges.
Gurira features prominently in a segment exploring Zimbabwe’s national parks, while Nyong’o appears in the debut episode learning about elephant behaviour in Kenya.
The pairing of recognisable talent with frontline conservation work reflects Wild Africa’s broader strategy: the organisation says it draws on a network exceeding 200 ambassadors spanning music, sport, film, television, business, faith, and government to extend its reach.
Presenters Rumbie Takawira, Dr Mark Ofua, and Zandile Ndhlovu anchor the series, guiding audiences through initiatives protecting species such as forest elephants in Nigeria, slender-snouted crocodiles in Ghana, Temminck’s ground pangolins in Namibia, and black rhinos in South Africa.
Zimbabwe-focused episodes examine the all-female Akashinga anti-poaching rangers, chilli farming as a deterrent against elephant crop-raiding, Painted Dog Conservation’s work with endangered African wild dogs, and community initiatives led by the Tikobane Trust.
Wild Africa CEO Peter Knights OBE, who serves as series producer, said the programme was built to showcase Africans driven to protect their wildlife, alongside the setbacks and triumphs they encounter.
Backing for the production came from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the Tammy Estrada Strome Foundation.
IFAW President and CEO Azzedine Downes praised the series for capturing the scale of Africa’s natural heritage through the perspective of those working directly in conservation, calling it a privilege to support the effort.
Locally, Wild Africa’s Zimbabwe Country Manager Farai Chapoterera framed the series as a human story above all, one centred on the choices and values of the Zimbabweans featured. ZBC’s Director of Content and Channels, Charles Munganasa, confirmed the broadcaster’s commitment to devoting a quarter of its programming to Zimbabwe’s wildlife narratives going forward.
Filmed across the continent and produced from Cape Town, the series draws on statistics showing a 76 percent decline in Africa’s monitored wildlife populations over the past 50 years, alongside the annual loss of roughly 3.9 million hectares of forest, the figures organisers say underscore the stakes behind the celebrity-driven campaign.
“ZBC’s Wild Africa Adventures” airs on ZBC starting in July, following the conclusion of World Cup broadcasts.
