Can communities in Ireland and Britain learn to share landscapes with apex predators again after centuries of their absence? What does coexistence actually look like when people, livestock, and large carnivores occupy the same territory? How might wisdom from Himalayan communities inform debates about lynx reintroduction closer to home?
Our conversation takes us from the remote mountains of Nepal to potential lynx habitats in Scotland and Ireland. Jonny Hanson travelled to the Annapurna Conservation Area to document how local communities live alongside snow leopards, creating a short film ‘Snow Leopard Trail’ that inverts the traditional conservation narrative. Rather than Western experts advising the Global South, Jonny learns from Nepali colleagues who have never experienced the extinction of experience that defines our relationship with large carnivores. His Nepali colleagues, award-winning conservation biologist Rinzin Lama and pioneering snow leopard tourism guide Tashi R. Ghale are the true guardians of these landscapes, managing coexistence in a region where 100,000 people and 100,000 tourists share space with one of the world's most elusive predators.
The film and our discussion challenge romanticised notions of conservation whilst grappling with practical realities. We explore the tensions inherent in protected area management, the limitations of wildlife tourism as an economic solution, the importance of long-term funding for coexistence, and the need to bridge scientific rigour with the full spectrum of human experience, including spiritual and cultural values. The film premieres at festivals across Ireland and the UK in late 2025, offering a rare glimpse into what genuine coexistence requires.
Where to watch:
Queen's Film Theatre screening: ESRC Festival of Social Science in NI 2025
Selected for Clones Film Festival
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