Hi, Welcome back to the show!
I’m a passionate advocate for conservation,
which is why I’ve donated so much of my own money to Hollywood’s Home for Retired Animal Actors.
Beethoven outlived Charles Grodin, and that was because of me.
Rwanda also makes animal conservation a major priority. I visited animal sanctuaries to
learn how Rwanda cares for wildlife. Rwanda is the country of a thousand
hills! Hi, I’m down here! It’s beautiful. The city is bustling, the countryside is vibrant,
and the wildlife is bananas! You want some banana, little baby? This monkey I met also loves
bananas! Now we’re friends. And the reason Rwanda is a sanctuary for wildlife is because after the
1994 genocide, conservation became a priority. To learn more about grassroots conservation efforts,
I visited Umusambi Village, a retirement home for gray crowned cranes! Oh, look!
An electric fence—just like in Jurassic Park! That worked out fine! This is Deo Ryumugabe,
and he’s the deputy manager of the sanctuary. - So there are 15 species of cranes in the world.
Okay. - And this is the only
species that we have here in Rwanda. And what makes them special?
- So crane, in Rwanda, is a sign of wealth and longevity.
In America, that symbol is a yellow Hummer. - Oh.
Yes. When you see it in its wild habitat on the Jersey shore, you’re like, wow. But unlike the
yellow Hummer, the gray crowned crane has become an endangered species. I tried to interview a
gray crowned crane but— Ahh! That was b****y!
Anyway, these birds have become endangered because people are farming their wetland habitats
and keeping them as pets. But the good news is Deo and his team are on the case. They rescue
captive birds and bring them here, where injured cranes are healed and lonely ones fall in love.
What is their mating dance like? - They spread their wings. They are up,
and then they make some specific sound as well. Oh, this reminds me of the mating dance that I
did for my husband. I just spread out my wings and I was like, aww aww awww! And then I do a
little this, and I give him an eye, and I’m like, yaaaaaa! AaAAAaaa! And he was like, partners for
life. I mean you can see, it’s irresistible. All this mating talk has inspired me to get a
little gussied up... Oh s***.
For our next stop! This is Akagera National Park, the coolest place I have ever been!
I mean, look at this! There are running giraffes, galloping zebras, and me jogging—look at that
form! I mean, I guess the view is good too. We have zebras over here, giraffes in the distance.
There’s buffalo too! What is this place?! - That is amazing.
It is amazing! And “amazing” happens to be Isaac, my park guide’s, favorite word.
- It’s amazing. It’s amazing. It’s amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.
Amazing. Amazing. Really amazing. Oh, Isaac. This park was founded by
s****y Belgian colonists back in the ’30s, and it was generally thriving until the genocide
happened, when—well, I’ll let Isaac tell you. - During the genocide, the country was not safe.
So people used to come in the park and then kill animals. So we lost a big number of animals, and
then the park was not protected during that time. So it was totally unprotected during the genocide.
- Yes, yes. And then when Rwandans started
returning to the country after the genocide… - After the government stopped the genocide,
then they started to implement again conservation strategies, and then
educating people around the park. That’s when we started again to protect the national park.
The park had lost all of its lions, all of its rhinos, most of its hippos, and all of its animals
that make me act like this: Oh my god! Oh my GOD! OH MY GOD! Look at this guy right behind
the bush! Oh my god. I’m actually crying. - We are very lucky to see elephants
very close like this! Very close. So this is a sanctuary for elephants. You
don’t really have to worry about poachers here? - Actually, the good thing is that the park is
working hand in hand with the poachers to educate them about the conservation. And also to support
them in infrastructure and job opportunities, so themselves, they can also help the park.
I guess getting poachers on board with conservation
actually works! Oh my god, a hippo! - The male—, They are territorial.
Okay. - So when they are fighting, they
can also make some injuries to the other males. So toxic masculinity is rampant in the hippo
population. - Yes.
There are over a thousand hippos in the park—up hundreds and hundreds from where
they started in the early ‘90s. Who knew hippos were such horndogs? Oh my lord!
- Wow! Look at this! It’s just standing there.
- Yes. Okay. I wish it was a little closer.
Oh my god, I have such a good idea. Okay. Hold on. Hey, buddy! What are you doing? You get down!
- Okay. Hey, buddy! What are you doing over there?
Why don’t you come over here and hang out with me?! I’m just over here! I love your knees!
Mine are weird, too! - I don’t think that can work.
Don’t kill my dreams, Isaac. I’m an animal whisperer. And Rwanda isn’t just conserving
animals that are native to Rwanda. These giraffes are from Kenya. We don’t even take people
refugees, while Rwanda is taking refu-giraffes! - Now we have over 80 giraffes.
You have over 80 giraffes! - Yes.
Well. I guess let’s go count all the giraffes…
One... - One.
And all this is possible because the park has figured out how to
make conservation work for the community. - So the park is supporting the local community
by giving them 10% of the park income. We call it revenue sharing. Because we support their
infrastructures such as schools, hospitals, giving them electricity,
and also giving them job opportunities.
Okay. - And then also,
we educate people about the importance of the park so that we can work hand in hand
together to help in the conservation of the park. And while giraffes, elephants, and hippos may not
be native to America, we do have animals and ecosystems worth preserving. We’ve got Alaska,
we’ve got bison. We’ve got that potato chip that looks like Jesus, and we’ve got all this pretty
s*** in Florida. We should just take care of it! Conservation is profitable and can create
jobs, something we’re told every four years is a priority. So let’s put our conservation where our
mouth is, and then one day our children will also be able to say: Look at all those zebra butts!
We'll be right back!