Sentinels of Engaruka: Community and Coexistence in Tanzania’s Rift Valley
Join The Explorers Club for a screening and conversation exploring the intertwined lives of people, wildlife, and wild lands in northern Tanzania.
The New York City premiere of Sentinels of Engaruka offers an intimate look at Tanzania’s remote Rift Valley, where endangered giraffes and Maasai pastoralists have lived side by side for generations. Filmed over two years, this 30-minute documentary follows a local family as they navigate the shared challenges of a harsh, changing environment—offering insight into why giraffes and people continue to coexist in this landscape while other wildlife face different pressures.
Following the screening, award-winning Tanzanian filmmaker Hans Cosmas Ngoteya and conservation leader Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld, co-founder and CEO of African People & Wildlife and an International Member of The Explorers Club, will take part in a conversation offering behind-the-scenes perspectives on the film and exploring the broader context of community-driven conservation in East Africa. The evening will conclude with time for audience questions.
This in-person screening at the Explorers Club Headquarters will include an audience Q&A.
RESERVATIONS
This will be an in-person lecture at Explorers Club Headquarters.
In-person tickets are $20 for Members, and $35 for the General Public.
Check-in will begin at 6:00 pm, with a beer and wine reception from 6:00 – 7:00 pm
Laly Lichtenfeld
Dr. Laly Lichtenfeld is the co-founder and CEO of African People & Wildlife, a leading conservation organization based in northern Tanzania. An International Member of The Explorers Club, she is also a National Geographic Explorer and former Fulbright Scholar. For over two decades, she has developed innovative approaches that protect biodiversity while strengthening local livelihoods, with a focus on human–wildlife coexistence and predator conservation. Her work has earned global recognition, including the Lowell Thomas Award for Open Space Conservation from The Explorers Club and the Women of Discovery Award for Conservation from WINGS WorldQuest. Dr. Lichtenfeld holds a Ph.D. from Yale University.
Hans Cosmas Ngoteya
Hans Cosmas Ngoteya is a Tanzanian conservationist, filmmaker, and wildlife storyteller. As co-founder of Ngoteya Wild, the Landscape and Conservation Mentors Organization (LCMO), and the Tanzania Wildlife Media Association (TaWiMA), he uses visual media to highlight the connections between people, wildlife, and wild lands. Ngoteya is the recipient of the Jackson Wild Rising Star Award (2023) and has served as a jury member for the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year (2025). His work has been featured by the BBC and Mongabay, among others.
