You can follow campaign updates on social media with #ForWildlifeRangers or find out more at WildlifeRangerChallenge.org.

About the Wildlife Ranger Challenge:

Covid-19 has created a temporary safer world for Africa’s wildlife. But the floodgates are opening as the economic impacts of Covid drive more poaching. With tourism gone, the rangers who care for wildlife lack the resources to do their jobs. Banhine National Park’s ranger teams are joining thousands of others across the continent taking part in the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, a series of physical and mental challenges, culminating in a 21km virtual race on Saturday 18th September.

You can join them! Show your support and sign up to run or walk with the community game scout team from wherever you are in the world:  WildlifeRangerChallenge.org/registration. Now is the time to go the extra mile to support our rangers!

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Your contribution will help support 32 rangers and an estimated 165 livelihoods in and around the Banhine National Park in Mozambique. Every dollar we raise via JustGiving will earn an additional 25% match!

Your donation also helps to unlock vital funds for other ranger teams across Africa; the Scheinberg Relief Fund will donate the equivalent of 75% of the amount raised to the Ranger Fund!

The role of rangers:

In 2018 Peace Parks commenced support to Banhine National Park focusing on securing protection services with the appointment of a Law Enforcement Operations Manager to support Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC). Banhine sits within the heart of the Great Limpopo TFCA enabling conservation connectivity between the TFCA Parks – making the rangers role so much more important in dealing with illegal charcoaling to poaching with 27 arrests effected in the past year.

Ongoing effects of the pandemic:

Covid-19 has resulted in significant numbers of community members moving back from their migrant labour work with no future – this led to significant increases in poaching and illegal natural resource use, in particular illegal charcoaling. In 2020 arrests increased from 27 to 133. However, after a cash-for-work programme to assist in negating the negative effect of the COVID pandemic was implemented through Peace Parks Foundation at the end of last year, the poaching numbers decreased once again.

How support in 2021 could help:

The support raised by the Wildlife Ranger Challenge would be used towards boosting morale and encouraging performance amongst rangers. Such support could be used to fund patrol equipment, supplements of rations and incentives.

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Tusk Trust Limited is a charity registered in England and Wales, No: 1186533, and a company registered in England and Wales, No: 11948023. 

In the US, “The Friends of Tusk Fund” donor advised fund is administered by CAF America (Tax ID 68-0480736)

Donors who pay tax in the UK can enhance their donation through Gift Aid, meaning that for every £10 raised, Tusk can recover an additional £2.50 for the cause from the UK Government.

US supporters wishing to make a tax deductible donation please click here.