Guardians who escort and nurse baby elephants, keepers dressed as pandas, sleeping alongside, warming and protecting orphaned baby rhinos, and people in Kenya saying goodbye to the last northern white rhinoceros on the planet. Photos that have travelled the world, yet needed only one viewing to be seared into the memory.

The hand behind the lens is one: Ami Vitale. Photojournalist, environmentalist and explorer, she has visited more than a hundred countries around the world to document, through photography, the most important events and the most pressing issues defining our times.

The first time I held a camera, I realised that photography gave me superpowers.Ami Vitale

After spending more than ten years covering the conflicts setting the world ablaze — from Palestine to Afghanistan and Angola — she chose to redirect her lens towards the environmental challenges facing our planet. Because, over time, she came to understand that behind every conflict there was always the same element: the natural world. A connection — sometimes dramatic — that she nonetheless decided to explore from an angle that has since become her hallmark, and her greatest superpower: shining a light on the stories of hope that blossom in the most arid of situations.

We spoke with Ami Vitale, photographer for National Geographic and winner of international awards including the World Press Photo, who explained to us what lies behind each of her shots and what drives her to turn the spotlight on stories that have yet to be told.

After years spent amid the world's conflicts, what was the moment you realised you wanted to dedicate your photography to the world of conservation?
In 2009 I was asked to photograph four northern white rhinoceroses as they were being transported to Africa. Only 8 individuals remained in the world, all held in zoos. It was a last-ditch attempt to save the entire species. When I encountered these ancient, gentle animals, creatures that have existed for millions of years, I realised I was looking at the end of an entire species. That gripped my heart — I couldn't believe it could happen within my lifetime. Today many people describe me as an environmental photographer. But in reality my stories are not only about the environment; they are stories about us. When we tell stories about the planet's deteriorating health, they are really stories about humanity. When we watch a species go extinct, we are in fact watching humanity suffer. You cannot think that these species can disappear without having an impact on everyone and everything. I don't see nature and people as separate things — it is all connected.

You cannot talk about humanity without talking about nature.Ami Vitale

So how did you decide to tell that story?
At that moment I understood that every day we hear dramatic stories telling us about the end of the world, keeping our focus on the problem — poaching, militarisation, conflict. But I felt that something, a piece of the story, was being left out. What wasn't being told, the missing piece, was what people are doing to solve these problems. In this case, the missing piece of the story was the people — the indigenous communities — who live alongside wild animals.

And just as I found stories of hope in wars full of violence — of people who, in the midst of conflict, manage to make a difference in their own lives against all the odds — I found them in nature conservation. That is the key; they are the key to saving what remains of our planet. There are wonderful stories of people who are the true heroes on the front line, protecting what remains. And I believe the secret is to support these communities, to give them a genuine reason to protect animals. Because when they understand that animals are worth more alive than dead, no other answer is needed. For centuries the Western world has arrived with arrogance, thinking it knew better. But the reality is that we need to learn from these communities, who have always lived in harmony with the planet; we must honour their ancient knowledge. So I understood that my role was to find stories that motivate us, that offer us solutions to problems.

You have lived with these communities. We have seen shots full of love, such as the one of keeper Yusuf. What does it mean to be one of them?
In that shot, the baby rhinos had lost their mother and Yusuf was literally sleeping with them, contracting malaria and defending them from other predators. These are the true heroes — people who are not in the spotlight but are out there every day, in extraordinarily difficult conditions. When people see their photos, they say they want to be like them. But do they know what it really means? I spent several years working alongside them: it is hard, it is loneliness, it is sacrifice. These people spend more time protecting animals than they do with their own children. It is true love. When you ask them about the animals, they become emotional — they are so devoted.

A significant moment was when, this year, the world's last northern white rhino, Sudan, died. You were there — can you tell us the story?
I followed, and photographed, the story of Sudan for more than ten years. We knew his health had deteriorated sharply. I received a call the evening before, telling me there was a plane ready for me and that it was the only chance to say goodbye to him one last time. I dropped everything and went. I arrived a few hours before he died. He was surrounded by all the people who had loved him and cared for him. There was a stillness; the only sounds were the chirping of a bird and the quiet tears of someone crying in silence.

Then the same thing happened as when he first arrived in Africa in 2009. When he had landed and was walking into the enclosure, it had started to rain. I remember watching him take his first steps in the mud — he was so happy. And at that moment, the same thing happened again. He was lying there, suffering, and all of a sudden it began to rain. We were all there together; it was a beautiful and heartbreaking moment at the same time. It made us realise that Sudan had to be our wake-up call, so that his death would not be in vain. Sudan became an international symbol of what we are doing to the planet. He is the symbol of what it means to witness the extinction of species, right before our eyes. Sudan as a wake-up call: I think that is the only beautiful thing about this story.

Through her photos she manages to show the good news hidden behind the bad news. Why is it important to tell these stories?
Stories full of hope help us understand that it is not too late. The moment to change is now — we are at a turning point. It is the first time in history that a generation, ours, is able to see what will happen in the future. It is up to us to decide what kind of future it will be. Another example of these stories is Niger, where I was recently. Only 49 giraffe remained in the country. Today there are around 600. In less than twenty years they managed to protect an entire species, to give it room to breathe. There are stories like this in the world that help us understand that we have the opportunity to stop the trajectory we are on.

So in the past year you have travelled to many countries and worked with artists to shine a light on these stories, being the name behind the Lavazza 2019 calendar, entitled Good to Earth?
It was a great privilege to work on the Lavazza 2019 calendar, Good to Earth. I love this idea because it is based on combining art and creativity to find solutions to the most urgent problems by engaging different audiences. We need to involve not only the people who are already working on these issues. We have the ability to have an enormous impact, and there will never be a better moment to do it. So now is the time to motivate people to act.

Creating a domino effect, to quote the project you are part of, Ripple Effect Images?
Exactly. Another example is a problem that is often discussed: overpopulation. In my view, you cannot talk about overpopulation without talking about women and empowerment. By giving them opportunities, both in developing and in industrialised countries, women will be able to change the face of this planet. Take Rwanda as an example: it has one of the highest percentages of women in parliament. It has given women opportunities at the highest levels, creating a model. So when I was travelling through villages I would meet young girls who truly wanted to build a better future for themselves. And when women do that, they don't only help themselves, but their own family and their own community. It is a cascading effect. Another example is the Reteti elephant sanctuary in Kenya, run entirely by women. Incredulous young men would travel up to twelve hours through the desert to go and see the women as elephant keepers. They are doing brilliantly, and they are changing the mindset of their communities.

What is the thread running through, and therefore the goal of, your work, past and future?
By now I no longer see myself as just a photographer. I see myself as a messenger, a storyteller. I tell stories. And photography is just a tool, a way to find the stories that inspire us, that remind us of what we can achieve as individuals and as a society for our planet. There are so many extraordinary people doing the impossible for the planet, who are creating the world they would like to live in. I have this mission: to find these people, to shine a light on them, to make their voices heard. Or rather, to amplify their voices, because they are already powerful voices. And to share their stories, so that they can encourage change.