THE
CRISIS
“ForRangers is aiming to raise funds and awareness to ensure that rangers across Africa are adequately equipped with top-quality basic equipment, well paid, incentivized and trained.”
The recent demand for rhino horn and the resulting resurgence in poaching has reached catastrophic levels. The epidemic levels rhino poaching in Africa has been well documented, with well hundreds of rhino illegally killed each year. The situation is even worse for elephant, with some estimates suggesting that 100 are poached each day across Africa.
A serious and organized crime, it is estimated that the trade in illegal wildlife products is worth over $17 billion a year. Mostly, the demand comes from Asia, where the items are used in traditional medicines and as symbols of wealth and status.
"Over one thousand rangers have been killed in the line of duty since 2003."
As a result of this demand, poaching criminals have become ever more organized, determined and motivated, using high caliber weapons and operating with increasingly sophisticated tools.
Protecting rhino and elephant requires large numbers of highly trained and dedicated rangers to protect wildlife. The monitoring and safeguarding of rhino involves skilled tracking and perseverance in thick bush. Long hours are spent amongst elephant, lion, buffalo and other dangerous animals in the pursuit of identifying and establishing the daily whereabouts, behaviour and health of each individual rhino. Rangers are on the front line, protecting endangered animals against heavily armed and ruthless gangs, as well as working in harsh, unpredictable and uncomfortable conditions. Globally, more than one thousand rangers have been killed in the line of duty since 2003.
It is dangerous, tough and thankless work, and if we are to keep rhino and elephant from extinction, there is a huge need to keep our men and women safe and motivated, both for their welfare and for the welfare of the iconic species they risk their lives to protect. To do this the equipment, training and resources provided to them is paramount, for their own safety and ability to protect wildlife, and to enhance towards the self-worth and loyalty they feel towards the difficult task they are faced with.