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Margot Raggett has devoted the last ten years to raising funds for wildlife protection around the world, but now she expresses concern about the future outlook. "It seems like we've taken a backward step," she stated.

Through her Wildlife Memorial series—an annual, not-for-profit picture book featuring images from the world's top wildlife artists—she has collected £1.2m over the last decade. The inaugural volume was published in 2015, during the time of the formulation of the Paris accord, but in the years following, initiatives to address the environmental emergency have faced setbacks.

Compared to a recent past, there was a desire for clean energy rather than drilling for oil across the world. I think the importance of the natural world is something for us all to hold onto.

Nevertheless, she maintains some hope. "I feel anxious but at the same time I'm heartened by the fact that there are so many people that continue to show concern. I'll do everything I can to fulfill my commitment and continue the struggle. And I know there's many others who share this view, so only the future will reveal, but we must not be complacent."

An Unsettling Visual Reminder of Potential Futures

This year's release, titled Ten Years of Remembering Wildlife, features original and altered pictures of creatures such as arctic bears, cheetahs, and pangolins living in and then scrubbed out of their native environments.

Raggett explained these visuals were intended to be "provocative" and to offer a preview of the future if we remain on our current track. "The pace of animal population decrease is alarmingly fast across the world and there's a lot of work to be done to reverse it. We really could be facing a tomorrow where these landscapes would be without these creatures," she said. "That's why we produced it, to cause reflection and realise what may occur if we fail to act."

Worries Domestically

While much of her professional work has taken her to far-off places like Kenya, the Serengeti, and Bhutan, she also has apprehensions about situations in her home country. The government has committed to construct 1.5 million homes by the conclusion of its initial period in government.

In support of this, officials have instructed the ecological authority to greenlight planning applications in England with minimal resistance, a move that has alarmed conservation advocates. Earlier this month, it was reported that a senior official boasted about removing obstacles from a housing project of 20,000 homes that was being delayed by "protected species on the site."

Raggett urged a "significant halt" on the government's "near-sighted" plans for rapid construction. "What everyone needs to understand is that we are all connected with nature," she stated. "It's very easy in a developed nation like ours to not understand the role every animal plays in our natural system, how they support forest health and the effect that has on clearing carbon from the air.

"I feel like, in this nation, there are enough previously developed land that ought to be repurposed before you lose any more countryside. We've already sacrificed plenty. I think there should be a comprehensive stop."

Inspiration from Tragedy

Raggett was moved to create the Remembering Wildlife initiative after coming across an elephant that had been a prey of poaching in Kenya. "It had a toxic projectile in him and then he began to be consumed by scavengers. I was so shocked and I felt so powerless… so I was resolved to try and do something about it," she recalled.

She commented that attempts to clamp down on illegal poaching have been varied. "The impact of poaching rhinos for their tusks in South Africa continues to be horrific. I have friends who are located there and the frequency of poaching is shocking but there have been positive developments too. China banning ivory a recently definitely has had an impact but then it pops up in the illegal trade elsewhere in Asia," she detailed.

Addressing consumer desire, especially in Asia where illegal wildlife items are used in folk remedies, is one of the most important ways to reduce the issue, Raggett emphasized. "Poaching is still a huge illegal enterprise and it's here to stay. It's still very much widespread."

Honoring a Iconic Scientist

Earlier in October, the globally celebrated primate expert Jane Goodall passed away at the age of 91. Raggett had met her in 2018. "I was blown away by her dedication and determination. She had just gotten off a night flight from Tanzania. At my age, I'd be having a nap the next morning and yet she had a line of people eager to have appointments with her. She was completely motivating and encouraging and had real humility in how she spoke," she reflected. "She leaves behind a remarkable legacy full of insight, and wit as well."