Margot Raggett’s Remembering Wildlife began as a single book in 2015, created to celebrate endangered species through powerful photography while raising funds for their protection. What started as a one-off idea has grown into a global conservation movement, uniting some of the world’s most respected wildlife photographers and supporters.

A decade on, the series has raised over £1.26 million for conservation projects worldwide, supporting critical work from anti-poaching efforts to habitat protection. Through each book, podcast, and now audiobook, Margot continues to explore new ways of connecting people to wildlife and inspiring action.

In this conversation, she reflects on the journey so far, the stories that have stayed with her, and the unwavering belief that storytelling through imagery can help safeguard the future of our planet’s most vulnerable species.

 

The Story Behind Remembering Wildlife

When Margot Raggett first created the Remembering Wildlife book series in 2015, the idea was simple but powerful: bring together the world’s best wildlife photographers to create the most beautiful books ever made about endangered species and use them to raise funds for conservation.

Since then, the project has grown into a global community of photographers, conservationists and supporters who believe that powerful imagery can help protect the natural world. To date, the series has raised more than £1.26 million GBP for conservation projects around the world, supporting vital work on the ground to protect threatened species. So far, it has covered elephants, rhinos, great apes, lions, cheetahs, African wild dogs, bears, leopards, tigers and pangolins. 

Margot is always quick to point out that the project only exists because of the generosity of the photographers who contribute their work and the people who support the books. Many remarkable photographers have helped shape the series over the years, including Shannon Wild, whose images and ongoing support have been part of that collective effort.

In this conversation, Margot reflects on the milestones the project has reached, the conservation impact it has helped fund, and the moments in the wild that continue to remind her why this work matters.

 

 

Since our last interview in 2021, what have been some of the biggest milestones for you and for the Remembering Wildlife series?

The biggest milestone has definitely been passing £1 million GBP raised for conservation, which is something I honestly never imagined when I started Remembering Wildlife. It was only ever supposed to be a one-off book on elephants so if you’d told me in 2015 I’d still be going a decade later having raised more than a million pounds I would not have believed you!

But I always say that none of this is really about me. The project only exists because of the generosity of the photographers who contribute their images and the people around the world who buy the books and support what we do. Without them it simply wouldn’t happen.

Receiving an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours in 2023 was incredibly special, but again it really felt like recognition for everyone involved in the project. It belongs to all the photographers and supporters who have helped make it possible.

And seeing the books reach readers around the world has been wonderful. We’ve now sold over 60,000 copies, which means tens of thousands of people engaging with wildlife conservation through these images.

How has the project evolved over the past few years?

The heart of the project hasn’t really changed. We still produce one book each year on a different species, bringing together some of the best wildlife photographers in the world to celebrate a species and raise funds for conservation.

But we’ve also started to expand how we share those stories.

We launched the Remembering Wildlife podcast (in association with This Wild Life), which has been lovely because it gives us a chance to talk to photographers and conservationists in a much more personal way and bring the stories of where our funds go to the forefront. 

And recently we released our first audiobook, Voices for the Vanishing, which brings together essays from across the series. It’s another way of reaching people who might not necessarily pick up the books.

For me it’s just about finding different ways to tell the story and reach more people while keeping the books as the heart of the project.

 

Are there any conservation projects funded by the books that have felt especially meaningful to you?

A lot of the projects we support are long term conservation work, things like habitat protection or human wildlife conflict mitigation, so the results can take years to see.

But occasionally you get a very personal story that really stays with you.

One that always stands out for me is a leopard called Maribye who had been caught in a snare in the Sabi Sands and was terribly injured. Some of the funds from Remembering Wildlife helped pay for his emergency veterinary treatment and several operations.

Amazingly he recovered and was released back into the wild, and we now believe he has even mated.

To see an animal that was so close to death get that second chance is incredibly moving.

 

What motivates you to keep pushing forward with this work?

The thing that really keeps me going is when we’re able to tell conservation projects that we have funds for them.

Many of these organisations are doing extraordinary work in the field but fundraising isn’t always easy for them. Being able to say, “We’ve got some money to help you continue that work,” is honestly the best feeling.

I’ve also had an incredible learning curve with the series, doing a deep dive into the conservation of a different species each year and as I learn about each plight, I am more motivated than ever to do all I can to raise funds for its conservation. 

 

Have there been any wildlife encounters recently that reminded you why this mission matters so much?

Yes, actually. In late 2024 I finally met my first pangolin, which sounds slightly ridiculous because I’d somehow managed to travel all over the world without ever seeing one before in the wild.

I visited a rescue centre and helped weigh him when he woke up, and then went out with it on its nightly foraging trip. 

Holding a pangolin and seeing its personality up close was incredibly moving, particularly when I’ve seen videos of how hideously poachers treat them. Moments like that really remind you how vulnerable these animals are and why protecting them matters.

 

 

How has your personal relationship with wildlife photography evolved over the years?

Interestingly, I probably take fewer photographs now than I used to.

When I first started going on safari I didn’t even have a camera. Then I went through a phase where I became completely obsessed with photography and was always shooting.

But these days I sometimes remind myself to just stop and enjoy the moment rather than always looking through the lens.

I’ve also learned to appreciate wider landscape shots more. I’m very guilty of loving close up portraits with a prime lens, but the images that often stand out most in the Remembering Wildlife submissions are the ones that show the animal in its environment and give a real sense of place.

 

Have you seen any encouraging progress in conservation linked to the species you focus on?

Yes, and those successes are incredibly encouraging.

For example, one project we supported in Kenya (The Pangolin Project) worked with landowners to remove electrified fencing that was killing incredibly rare giant pangolins.

At one point almost one pangolin a month was dying on those fences. Since the project worked with local communities to change them, there hasn’t been a single pangolin death reported for over a year.

Seeing such a clear and direct result like that is incredibly uplifting.

 

 

What challenges still need urgent attention?

There are unfortunately many challenges still facing wildlife.

Climate change, habitat loss and human wildlife conflict are all huge issues as people expand into areas where wildlife once lived undisturbed.

In southern Africa, snares set for bushmeat continue to injure and kill many animals. And rhino poaching in places like Kruger National Park sadly remains a serious problem.

One thing conservation teaches you very quickly is that there’s no quick fix. I often say it’s like fighting a giant forest fire with many hoses. No single organisation can solve it alone. But if any of us stop, that’s one less hose helping to fight the fire.

 

What legacy do you hope the Remembering Wildlife series will leave for future generations?

When I first created the series, the idea was to produce the most beautiful books ever made about a particular species, bringing together the best wildlife photographers in the world.

In a way the books are a record of what these animals looked like at this moment in history.

But what I really hope is that future generations will look back at them not as memorials, but as celebrations of species that are still thriving in the wild.

And if that happens, it will be thanks to the photographers, conservationists and supporters who helped make the project what it is. I hope our legacy is that the species we’ve highlighted continue to prosper and have a place on this planet. 

 

 

What continues to inspire you most about the natural world?

Just being out in nature always inspires me.

Animals’ life very honestly. Their behaviour isn’t driven by ego or ambition, it’s simply about survival and instinct. There’s something very grounding about that, particularly when you reflect on all the man-made challenges this world is currently facing. 

And seeing young animals being born, especially baby elephants, always fills me with joy. Moments like that remind me why this work matters and send me back to it feeling refreshed and ready to keep going.