Dereck Joubert and Beverly Joubert

Award-winning filmmakers and National Geographic Explorers at Large Beverly and Dereck Joubert have dedicated the last four decades to conservation work across 30 countries.

They were awarded a Presidential Order of Merit by Botswana’s president, Seretse Khama Ian Khama. Their wildlife films have earned 23 Emmy nominations, 9 Emmy awards, a Peabody, Grand Teton, Golden Panda awards, World Ecology Award, the Mervin Jones Fellow Award from Lions Club International and the 2021 Explorers Club Medial, the clubs highest honor.

In addition to their highly acclaimed films, the Joubert’s have co-founded Great Plains Conservation and Great Plains Foundation. They presently manage over 1.5 million acres of wild lands in Africa, and that holds an estimated 2-3% of Africa’s elephants, lions, giraffe and other wildlife.

In partnership with National Geographic, the Jouberts founded the Big Cats initiative in 2009, as an emergency initiative to slow the rapid decline of big cats around the world, with over 157 Grants in 29 Countries. This program has now transitioned to the Great Plains Big Cats Initiative, under the Joubert’s leadership and Great Plains Foundation management.

Setting their sights on sweeping change, Dereck and Beverly created Rhinos Without Borders, a revolutionary initiative that moved 87 rhinos from high poaching areas to safety. They also started two other projects; Project Rewild in Zimbabwe relocating 101 elephants, 70 giraffes, 68 Zebras and 184 impalas to restore and rewild depleted habitats and Empowering Women in Conservation, both of these projects have received grants from National Geographic.