22/03/23 Kim Wolhuter: Maverick Wildlife Filmmaker

22.03.23

youtube.com/watch?v=gPlDqyhbT-Q

https://wildark.org/journals/interview-truth-hyenas/

Kim Wolhuter: Maverick Wildlife Filmmaker

 Born in the Kruger National Park of South Africa, Maverick filmmaker and third generation game ranger Kim Wolhuter has spent his career documenting some of Africa’s apex ( верхушка) predators. What sets him apart are the bonds that he forms with the animals he films, giving him unparalleled access and distinctive footage of some of Africa’s most revered species. 

Kim’s dedication to his stories sees him spend up to two years with any one species, ensuring the animal becomes relaxed in his presence to film the most natural behaviour possible. His burning passion is to dispel the myths that cloud certain predators. A deep love and commitment to revealing the truth about these animals are evident in his work and in the interview you are about to read.

WildArk: You have an incredibly unique relationship with many of the animals you film. Why is this so important in your work?

Kim: I never start a film with a storyline. I prefer to spend a lot of time, 18 months to two years, to tell the animal’s own story in a more intimate and captivating way.

Working with animals, they get used to our vehicles, but always have thateeling in the back of their minds, ‘Why is this thing following me?’ I realised, that if I was going to stop being that ‘niggle,’( скудный) I had to be able to give them something. Feeding them was out of the question. The only thing I could give them was love and affection.

I reciprocated by scratching it under the chin, which it loved, lifting its head for more pleasure. After that, she came back for scratches every day, and we developed a fantastic bond. With my hyenas, there was no feeding. Just a transfer of love and affection. A situation that is very similar to that which Jane Goodall had with her chimpanzees.

Having the animals’ full trust allows me into their lives. I am then able to film them behaving naturally. Filming on the ground, wide angle lens, right in there to give the audience the feeling of what it’s like to be that animal.

WildArk: Why are Hyenas, in particular, so important to you?

Kim: I want people to realise these animals aren’t out there to kill people, that’s why it’s important for people to see me working with hyenas in this way. They aren’t the villains that most films cast them as. I want to change that perception and portray hyenas for what they are: highly intelligent, amazing mothers and incredible hunters.

WildArk: Some people might not agree with touching wild animals. What does it mean to you?

Kim: I must emphasize that it’s not my goal to touch wild animals. I was always of the opinion that it’s taboo to touch a wild animal. Then I had these animals approaching me and inviting contact. It only seemed right to reciprocate, which I did and it is this that I believe has allowed me to develop such close bonds with hyenas, cheetah and leopards.

It has to do with how you present yourself to them. It’s in your body language. I never carry a weapon, nor does anybody working with me. This is crucial. When you carry a gun, you lose respect for the animal, push boundaries and the animal retaliates. What right do you have, to shoot the animal because you overstepped the mark? I like to be with the animals one on one, but I don’t harass them because I don’t want to be eaten.

WildArk: Much of your work means filming at night. What are some of the challenges and how have you overcome these?

Kim: Of the 29 years that I’ve been filming, at least 24 of those have been at night, purely because the animals I’ve been filming; lion, leopard, and hyena are predominantly nocturnal.

Night time filming has always been a challenge, especially in the early days when film speeds were so slow. In those days, I worked with two vehicles. Myself with the camera and the second vehicle with a massive bank of lights mounted on a tripod, so the operator would shine and move them as the animal moved. Having the lights on a separate vehicle, allowed us to back and sidelight the subjects, always trying to create that ‘natural’ moonlit effect.

WildArk: What are some of your most memorable experiences when filming?

Kim: I’d filmed a family of cheetah for two years but hadn’t seen them for a year. One day I went for a walk. In the distance, I saw this cheetah and as I approached she still didn’t look at me. I realised she was one of the ones I’d been filming, Chinzvi. Eventually, I sat down a couple of metres from her. She still didn’t look at me. I was now somewhat upset that after all this time with her in the past, she didn’t bother to give me the time of day. About a minute later she came to me and started licking my face. Amazing! I spent the next three hours, walking, sleeping and hunting with her. It was just like old times.

I’ve had similar interactions with hyenas, especially ‘Bounce’, who never seemed to tire of wanting my attention and me to play with him.

WildArk: What are you working on at the moment?

Kim: I’ve been filming Spotted Hyenas in Mashatu Game Reserve, Botswana, for two years. The working title is MYENAS (as in ‘my hyenas’).

The film follows the lives of a unique clan of hyenas. My time with them has been incredibly intimate as I was accepted as a clan member. This is also Bounce’s story. More importantly, my time with them helps dispel the myths about hyenas, and I portray them for what they are.

There are some interesting things going on with this clan. In human terms, the matriarch seems rather ‘loopy.’ She’s been going around killing cubs from her clan. It’s horrendous to see. I’m sure in time the clan will turn, on her. They won’t kill her, but will depose her and leave her to live as the lowest ranking member.