Space for Giants faces the combined pressures of habitat loss, human–wildlife conflict, poaching, weak law enforcement and limited long-term funding. Expanding farms, roads and settlements increasingly fragment elephant ranges and bring wildlife into closer contact with people, often causing crop losses, damaged property and retaliatory killings. At the same time, protected areas require stronger management, better equipment and sustainable income. Balancing conservation with the economic needs of governments and local communities remains a central challenge.

Overcoming these challenges would secure larger, better-connected habitats where elephants and other wildlife can thrive, while reducing the costs and risks faced by neighbouring communities. Stronger protection and more reliable conservation funding would improve law enforcement, create jobs and support sustainable tourism and other nature-based businesses. Most importantly, it would help ensure that people see tangible benefits from living alongside wildlife, building long-term local support for conservation and protecting Africa’s natural heritage for future generations.