Dynamic Planet

[soft suspenseful music] - People are poor out here.

Like, people are really struggling out here.

They are really struggling, you know?

And then you also have to think about elephants destroying your house.

And then everybody is like, save the elephant.

People need help too.

Hello?

- [speaking language] - Okay, okay.

- You know, every time I come out to the Omatjette communities, I actually have to prepare myself, like, psychologically because people here don't really like elephants.

It's a whole series of events that have unfolded since the death of my uncle.

So I'm a little worried about that.

I just don't know how he's going to react, you know?

You just have to be prepared for anything.

[speaking language] - [speaking language] - He's really angry.

And I'm just listening to him.

I'm just letting him just blow some steam.

He's mad, but he's not mad at me that I know.

- And then we hear the elephant.

[elephant trumpeting] - Yes, it's elephant.

The elephant is there.

I'm talking about the thing that I'm talking, that is present now.

- I'm like, it's right here, actually.

It's like, yeah, I'm talking about an elephant that's here right now.

He couldn't believe that this is the same elephant that he saw a couple of minutes ago and he ran from.

That was the realization in that moment, that the animal that he is so scared of is actually also scared of him.

- And then after that, as we were driving back, I could have sworn we were friends.

[inquisitive music] - With the tension gone, Shannon can offer some practical help.

- [speaking language] - Mixed with elephant dung, the chili becomes a powerful repellent.

You cannot save the elephants without saving the people.

I love the elephants, but I equally love the people that live with these elephants.

- Finding a solution for both parties, that's the real solution.

In my village, after my uncle was killed, they actually built an elephant drinking dam which is far from human settlements and where they can peacefully drink water.

And, honestly, elephants don't come to people's homes anymore.

They don't, and that's the truth.

It's my hope for the future that my children will grow up in a community where there's, like, a peaceful coexistence between elephants and people.

Yeah.

- Coexistence benefits us all, as what's good for one species is often good for another.