What WildlifeDirect does

WildlifeDirect is a Kenyan-headquartered nonprofit wildlife conservation organization, separately registered as a 501(c)3 in the United States and as a not-for-profit company in Kenya, operating since 2004 with a small core staff of 1-10 employees. Its core work spans three programmatic pillars: education and outreach (Wildlife Warriors Kids school clubs across 94+ Kenyan primary schools, teacher training at Mpala Research Centre, a 30-acre Field Lab, Restoring Nature Challenge, and a 2025 Biomimicry Challenge); content production and distribution (the WildlifeDirect Warriors TV series on Akili Network, Citizen TV, KBC, Baze/Safaricom, plus the pan-African Team Sayari series on National Geographic Wild and Disney Channel, reaching 2-3 million weekly viewers); and legal advocacy (Eyes in the Courtroom, which has monitored 4,142 wildlife crime cases in Kenyan courts since 2013, and the Hands Off Our Elephants campaign). A fourth emerging pillar is citizen science, led by the Kids and Goats for Elephants project with University of Utah, which uses schoolchildren to collect goat hair isotope samples that build a forensic database for tracing poached ivory.

The underlying "platform" is a multi-channel content and education engine rather than a traditional technology stack: African wildlife video produced in partnership with Vivid Features Ltd, distributed free via terrestrial TV and mobile VOD, and supported by school-based curriculum integration, teacher conventions, and restoration challenges. Distribution partners include Akili Network (Kenya free-to-air children's channel), Citizen TV, KBC, Baze/Safaricom (22M mobile users), National Geographic Wild, and Disney Channel.

The organization does not sell its core programs. Revenue mechanics consist of grants and donations (from USAID, U.S. Department of State, National Geographic Society, The Walt Disney Company, Whitley Fund for Nature, Elephant Crisis Fund, and several private foundations), supplemented by merchandise sales through Spreadshirt and TV content licensing. Customer segments are non-paying beneficiaries — Kenyan primary school children and families (primary), local communities in wildlife-rich ecosystems (Amboseli, Maasai Mara), and government/law enforcement stakeholders — plus institutional funders. Leadership is concentrated in CEO Dr. Paula Kahumbu, a National Geographic Explorer and 2021 Rolex National Geographic Explorer of the Year honoree.

Name

WildlifeDirect

Legal name

WildlifeDirect

Website

https://wildlifedirect.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

WildlifeDirect is a Kenyan nonprofit conservation organization producing African wildlife TV series, running school-based education programs in 94+ Kenyan schools, and operating the Eyes in the Courtroom legal program monitoring wildlife crime cases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildlife Conservation & Species Protection (BPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Advocacy, Policy & Public Awareness (Animal Welfare) (BPAGAIAJ), Animal Welfare & Advocacy Organizations (AFAEALAC), Wildlife Interpretation & Education Centers (Visitor Centers, Museums) (THAAAFAG)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation
• Conservation education
• Citizen science research
• Wildlife documentary production
• Environmental law advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: WildlifeDirect operates as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in the US and as a not-for-profit company in Kenya. Primary revenue comes from donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Website prominently features donate buttons and fundraising opportunities.
2. Grants and Government Funding: Funding from government agencies including USAID, U.S. Department of State, and partnerships with organizations like National Geographic Society. Grants support specific programs like Team Sayari educational entertainment series.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling merchandise (shirts, apparel) through Spreadshirt platform. Profits support wildlife conservation activities.
4. TV Content Production and Licensing: Wildlife Warriors and WildlifeDirect Warriors TV series produced with funding from USAID, National Geographic, and The Walt Disney Company. Content licensed to TV networks across Africa for educational purposes.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WildlifeDirect is a non-profit wildlife conservation organization that produces educational television series about African wildlife, runs school-based conservation education programs for youth, operates legal advocacy initiatives that monitor wildlife crime cases in Kenyan courts, and conducts citizen science projects such as isotope-based ivory tracing. Its core deliverables include WildlifeDirect Warriors and Team Sayari TV series, Wildlife Warriors Kids clubs in schools, the Eyes in the Courtroom legal monitoring program, and campaigns like Hands Off Our Elephants.

Product overview

WildlifeDirect is a conservation nonprofit organization (not a technology company) that offers a portfolio of interconnected programs: WildlifeDirect Warriors (formerly Wildlife Warriors) is the flagship educational television series reaching 2-3 million viewers weekly; the Wildlife Warriors Kids Education and Outreach Program provides school clubs, teacher training, and immersive field experiences; the Legal Program (Justice for Wildlife) monitors wildlife crime court cases through Eyes in the Courtroom, data collection, case tracking, and law enforcement capacity building; Team Sayari is a pan-African National Geographic Kids series developed with Disney and USAID; and Kids and Goats for Elephants is a citizen science project using isotope analysis to trace poached ivory. The organization also runs advocacy campaigns including Hands Off Our Elephants, I Love Lions, Save Nairobi National Park, and Secure our Wildlife Corridors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wildlife Warriors Kids: Youth education and outreach program engaging children in conservation education
• WildlifeDirect Warriors
• Eyes in the Courtroom
• Hands Off Our Elephants
• Kids and Goats for Elephants

Products and services

• WildlifeDirect Warriors TV Series A wildlife television series showcasing African conservation heroes and their efforts to protect elephants, rhinos, lions, and other wildlife species. Aired on Kenyan free-to-air TV (Akili Network, Citizen TV, KBC) and the Baze mobile video platform, reaching millions of viewers across Kenya and Africa.
• Eyes in the Courtroom A legal program that maintains presence in courtrooms to monitor and report on outcomes of wildlife crime cases in Kenya, supporting transparency and accountability in wildlife law enforcement.
• Legal Program (Justice for Wildlife) A comprehensive legal department initiative engaging with wildlife law enforcement authorities in Kenya, comprising Eyes in the Courtroom (case monitoring), Data Collection (court registry visits), Case Tracking, and Capacity Building (training rangers, prosecutors, and judges).
• Kids and Goats for Elephants A citizen science project that creates an isotopic map to pinpoint where elephant tusks originated using isotope analysis. Children collect goat hair samples which are analyzed at the University of Utah to build a database that helps law enforcement trace poached ivory to its source.
• Team Sayari A National Geographic Kids educational entertainment television series developed in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, USAID, The Walt Disney Company, and National Geographic. The pan-African series features youth from Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Tanzania and airs across Africa on National Geographic Wild and Disney Channel.
• Wildlife Warriors Kids Education and Outreach Program A youth education program that includes school clubs, teacher training conventions at Mpala Research Centre, the Wildlife Warriors Kids Field Lab (30 acres of park adjacent wilderness), the Restoring Nature Challenge (environmental projects in schools), and the Biomimicry Challenge. The program reaches hundreds of schools across Kenya.
• Justice for Nature Films A series of short documentary films produced to support conservation education and advocacy. Three of six 15-minute films have been nominated for awards, featuring young Kenyan filmmakers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,142 wildlife crime cases monitored in Kenyan courts since 2013
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Judiciary Training InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Eyes in the Courtroom program, providing training to judges and prosecutors on wildlife crime case handling. This core partnership enables WildlifeDirect's legal advocacy work in Kenyan courts.
• Save The ElephantscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton's organization through Hands Off Our Elephants campaign. Scientific insights and data from Save The Elephants informed evidence-based anti-poaching approaches.
• Akili NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKenya's free-to-air educational children's channel airing WildlifeDirect Warriors. Dramatically expands access to millions of viewers nationwide.
• Baze / SafaricomcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMobile-first video-on-demand platform powered by Safaricom, Kenya's leading communications company. Makes Wildlife Warriors accessible to 22 million mobile users.
• Vivid Features LtdcoreTechnology or IntegrationNairobi-based production house handling filming and editing of Wildlife Warriors TV series. Local production capacity building for African filmmakers.
• National GeographiccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Team Sayari pan-African kids program and Explorer programs. Dr. Kahumbu honored as National Geographic Explorer and Museum of Exploration honoree.
• The Walt Disney Company AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Team Sayari educational entertainment series along with U.S. Department of State and USAID. Produces content for National Geographic Wild and Disney Channel.
• University of UtahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Prof. Thure Cerling for Kids and Goats for Elephants isotopic mapping project. University creates database from goat hair isotope samples to trace poached ivory.
• Mpala Research CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts Wildlife Warriors Kids Teachers Conventions and Restoring Nature Challenge partnership. Provides venue for field training in botany, ecology, ornithology, and conservation education.
• Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational broadcaster partnership to air Wildlife Warriors Season One, reaching viewers from all corners of Kenya.
• Citizen TV KenyacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor Kenyan TV station airing Wildlife Warriors Season 2 with 13 episodes featuring conservation heroes.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance: Zoo and conservation organization combining animal care, conservation research, and education with global field programs including Africa. Comparable on combining visitor-facing education, conservation science, and field programs.
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): One of the largest global conservation organizations, active across Africa on species protection, anti-poaching, and community programs. Comparable on advocacy and species protection, but operates at vastly larger scale.
• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO with significant Africa footprint and focus on nature, biodiversity, and community partnerships. Comparable in mission but with global scope and substantially larger resources.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: Global wildlife conservation organization operating field programs in Africa and beyond, including wildlife crime and community-based conservation. Broader portfolio but overlaps on anti-poaching, policy advocacy, and education.

Direct peers

• Tsavo Trust: Kenya-based conservation NGO focused on protecting the Greater Tsavo ecosystem, including anti-poaching, community, and habitat work. Comparable in Kenya-only operating footprint and wildlife crime focus.
• Big Life Foundation: Kenya-based conservation NGO operating across the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem with ranger patrol, community, and anti-poaching programs. Comparable in operating geography, community-led model, and donor-funded structure.
• Panthera: Wild cat conservation NGO working across Africa and globally on species protection, anti-poaching, and community programs. Comparable in wildlife crime and community engagement focus, though narrower species remit.
• Save The Elephants: Kenya-based elephant conservation NGO founded by Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, with whom WildlifeDirect collaborated on Hands Off Our Elephants. Directly comparable in Kenya-based wildlife research, advocacy, and elephant-focused anti-poaching work.
• African Wildlife Foundation: Africa-focused conservation nonprofit that works on wildlife protection, community empowerment, and habitat conservation across the continent. Most directly comparable in mission, African footprint, and combination of advocacy, community, and education programming.

Others

• Mpala Research Centre: Laikipia-based research and education facility that hosts WildlifeDirect's Teachers Conventions and Restoring Nature Challenge. Ecosystem partner with overlapping conservation education and community programming in Kenya.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/WildlifeDirect
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3y-7v5uTijZk5DTciHZviw
• Facebookfacebook.com/wildlifedirect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wildlifedirect-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WildlifeDirect