Pull the Thread: The Wild Life

Investigative reporter Runako Celina begins to uncover the dark and twisted world of wildlife trafficking and meets a unique character who is at the center of it all. On this season of Pull The Thread, The Wild Life takes an unprecedented look at the fascinating, corrupt, and oftentimes dangerous world of the illegal wildlife trade. [Content Warning: Contains description of violence to animals.]

CREDITS

Executive Produced by: Dra...

In 2016, Wolf, an undercover agent, was enlisted by a former DEA agent and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Officer to embark on his most audacious mission to date--to take down a top wildlife crime syndicate. The story of Moazu Kromah, East Africa's most wanted wildlife trafficker, is nowhere near as interesting as how he was taken out, and by whom.

CREDITS

Executive Produced by: Drake, Adel “Future” Nur, Peter Nelson, Maggie Gilbride (...

With the operation underway. Wolf gains trust by playing a well-connected drug trafficker who is now dabbling in the illegal wildlife trade. But to get money into the traffickers’ hands, and capture them on tape, is more of a hurdle than he expected. Turns out, banks don’t like large, mysterious, international transfers. Wolf tries a more precarious solution.

CREDITS

Executive Produced by: Drake, Adel “Future” Nur, Peter Nelson, ...

Some compare illegal wildlife trafficking to a war. On the front line are the poachers and the game rangers. Syndicates often rely on the corruptibility of these poorly-paid rangers to be information providers and protectors. Anton Mzimba, a guardian of rhinos and other big game in South Africa, refused to be one of them.

CREDITS

Executive Produced by: Drake, Adel “Future” Nur, Peter Nelson, Maggie Gilbride (DreamCrew Entertainme...

Runako’s producer Saskia visits Hamm, West Germany, site of the world's largest herpetology fair to uncover what types of people buy, or sometimes smuggle, animals and animal products–and why they do it. Whether seeking exotic pets, aphrodisiacs, or hangover cures, the global demand for animal parts persists, as do the shady legal loopholes that allow the trade to flourish.

CREDITS

Executive Produced by: Drake, Adel “Future”...

It’s 2018, Wolf has forked out big bucks from government coffers to buy contraband from the syndicate, yet no rhino horn appears. While anxiously waiting he realizes his manipulation skills may be the only way the traffickers will finally deliver. Wolf, Runako learns, is constantly working to balance espionage and fatherhood, and she sees the toll this kind of work takes on his family.

CREDITS

Executive Produced by: Drake, Adel “...

Wolf and team move closer to arresting their targets Mansour Surur, Amara Cherif, and Moazu Kromah. With stakes high, authorities strategize about how to put these traffickers in handcuffs–as all three men are based in different African countries. Working quickly and stealthily, will the arrests ensue or give the criminals a chance to disappear for good?

CREDITS

Executive Produced by: Drake, Adel “Future” Nur, Peter Nelson, Maggi...

After seeing the transnational operation play out, Runako and team profile the local efforts of a Ugandan Wildlife Crime unit–all in the quest to understand why this trade remains so difficult to stop. Then it’s into the jungle to witness mountain gorillas who continue to survive and flourish. Has the team found a silver bullet, or simply dug through a can of worms?

CREDITS

Executive Produced by: Drake, Adel “Future” Nur, Peter N...