The Conservation Game

Set against the backdrop of a heated national debate on captive big cats in America, The Conservation Game follows the story of Tim Harrison, a retired cop who makes a bombshell discovery while undercover at an exotic animal auction. He starts to suspect that America’s top television celebrity conservationists may be secretly connected to the exotic pet trade. What follows is a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, filled with lies, deception, and cover-ups.

As his investigation leads deeper into the secret world of the big cat trade, Tim and his team take their fight to the halls of Congress, pressing lawmakers to pass federal legislation that would end the private breeding and exploitation of these endangered and majestic animals. But when opposition comes from an unexpected source, Tim is forced to face the demons of his own past, while wrestling with the consequences of exposing his childhood hero.

Ambassador Cubs on Television

The Conservation Game shocked the entertainment world when it exposed how high-profile celebrity "conservationists" (Jack Hanna, Dave Salmoni, Jarod Miller, and Boone Smith) were entangled in the private exotic cub trade. The film's three-year investigation revealed that the endangered cubs presented as ambassador animals on popular morning and late-night television — snow leopards, tigers, lions, and leopards — were often not from accredited zoos or conservation programs at all. Many came from private breeders, and once they outgrew their television appearances, they were passed along to unaccredited roadside zoos and pseudo-sanctuaries, or disappeared entirely into the exotic pet trade.

In the wake of the film's premiere, ambassador cats vanished from American television, bringing an abrupt end to a decades-long practice built on deception and the exploitation of these animals.

In the wake of the film's premiere, the practice of bringing ambassador cats on American television stopped, bring an abrupt end to the television careers of the celebrity "conservationists" exposed in the film as well as ending a decades-long practice.

Jack Hanna's Legacy

Jack Hanna — director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and one of the most famous celebrity conservationists in the world — was at the epicenter of the film's investigation and its most startling revelations. Less than 24 hours after the world premiere of The Conservation Game at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Hanna's family announced on Twitter that he was retiring from public life, citing a sudden progression of dementia. He never addressed the press, who had questions about the film's allegations, and has not appeared publicly since.

In his review of the film, critic Scott Marks of the San Diego Reader noted the timing of Hanna's announcement, writing that the facts speak for themselves.

The Columbus Zoo

Soon after the film's release, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) launched its own investigation into the allegations about Jack Hanna and the Columbus Zoo. The investigation concluded that The Conservation Game was accurate. In a subsequent NPR interview, the Columbus Zoo's director of animal care and conservation, Jan Ramer, acknowledged that the allegations in the film were, sadly, true.

The Columbus Zoo was eventually stripped of its coveted AZA accreditation. AZA president Dan Ashe released a public letter stating that the loss of accreditation was a direct result of revelations exposed in The Conservation Game.

Later that year, director Michael Webber was invited as the keynote speaker at the AZA's annual zoo directors conference.

The Big Cat Public Safety Act

The Conservation Game follows the public safety advocates fighting for passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act in Congress. The federal bill would restrict public contact with big cats and the cub-petting activities seen on television, along with the private breeding and unregulated sale of endangered big cats.

At the request of congressional lawmakers, a special premiere was held in Washington, D.C., drawing significant press attention to the issues the film exposed. The filmmaker and participants were featured in The Washington Post, Newsweek, Politico, The Hill, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS, Al Jazeera America, The Daily Beast, and others.

In December 2022, the year following the film's release, the Big Cat Public Safety Act was signed into federal law.