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. Big Life Foundation’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 343 rangers protecting wildlife and wild lands in and around the Greater Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya. 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:

Big Life’s community ranger program is the most critical component to the success of our ongoing work in the Greater Amboseli ecosystem to protect wildlife, natural habitats, and assist communities. To address escalating threats to the ecosystem – the poaching and trafficking of animals, habitat destruction, and mitigation of human-wildlife conflict – Big Life employs hundreds of local Maasai rangers and operates collaboratively on both sides of the Kenya-Tanzania border.

Impact that 2020 WRC had on Organisation & Rangers:

International recognition of, and support for, the essential role rangers play in the protection of globally important biodiversity, especially during a challenging time for the world, has given rangers additional motivation to keep protecting wildlife and their habitats. The 2020 WRC grants enabled Big Life to continue employing and supporting dozens of Big Life rangers and their operations, specifically with support for salaries and rations. Rangers have therefore been able to continue patrolling, arresting suspects for illegal wildlife crimes, address human-wildlife conflict, assist communities, and more.

Ongoing effects of the pandemic:

The biggest impact of the pandemic on Big Life and the area has been reduced fundraising, and therefore resulted in reducing our operating budget to minimal levels. Big Life anticipates 2021 to be a struggle for fundraising again. Fortunately, however, the pandemic did not result in an increase in poaching in our operating area thanks to the continued work by our rangers, made possible through support from the WRC 2020. Like last year, Big Life will do everything it can to keep rangers in the field protecting wildlife from poachers.

How support in 2021 could help:

Support in 2021 from WRC can help Big Life to keep all our 300+ rangers employed (at full salary), equipped and supported in the field, and thus able to continue patrolling, acting as a poaching deterrent and providing support to communities, especially regarding human-wildlife conflict. This employment and community support, in particular, means the communities see a value in the conservation of wildlife and our work.

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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.