ABC News Daily Stephanie March on Gaza, autocracy and elephants
Dec 22, 2025
Stephanie March, an ABC foreign correspondent known for her impactful international reporting, shares her insights from war-torn Gaza, where families live in tents, facing dire conditions and trauma. She highlights the clash between elephant tourism and local communities in Botswana, exploring the complexities of conservation versus hunting. March also addresses the troubling political shift in Georgia towards autocracy under Russian influence, detailing the rise of local oligarchs and their impact on democracy. Her stories reveal the resilience and struggles of people in crisis.
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Camping Among Botswana's Elephants
- Stephanie March camped with elephants in Botswana and witnessed both awe and danger firsthand.
- She describes locals facing crop raids and few defenses against large herds.
Elephant Recovery Drives Human Conflict
- Elephant populations rose to roughly 130,000 while Botswana's human population doubled, creating intense human-wildlife conflict.
- Farmers suffer crop loss, broken fences and sometimes fatal encounters with limited resources to protect themselves.
On A Trophy Hunt With A Professional
- March joined a professional trophy hunter on a guided hunt and observed how the hunter justifies the practice as community income.
- She felt conflicted but saw the real fear villagers face when confronting aggressive bulls with no protection.