It all could have been different. In recent years, I’ve led a small group of avid photographers on a tour through the little-visited Aysén region of Chilean Patagonia. One of the highlights involves a short walk down a trail to the dramatic waterfalls at the confluence of the beautiful Rio Baker and Rio Nef rivers.

I never set out to create a global movement. In truth, the “Remembering Wildlife” book series began with heartbreak — an early morning in northern Kenya in November 2014, when I came face-to-face with the cruelty and scale of the elephant poaching crisis.

Using only the stars, maybe a bit of moonlight, and a dim red flashlight to guide my way, I started the day with a quiet, slow-paced walk. I was heading to permanent wooden blinds that are situated at the edge of the riverbank overlooking one of the largest sandhill crane roosts in the area.