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. Kidepo Valley 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 150 rangers and an estimated 40,000 livelihoods in and around the Kidepo Valley National Park in Uganda. 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:

Rangers are the backbone of all operations in KVPA. There are various types of rangers, including: law enforcement, tour guides, community conservation, intelligence, veterinary and research & monitoring. Whether anti-poaching, protecting local farms from elephant crop raiding, or responding to injured wildlife, all rangers work together and are fully operational. 

The Uganda Wildlife Authority Wardens lead the park management, coordinating all operations on behalf of the Uganda Government. The Uganda Conservation Foundations role is to help UWA be as successful as they could and should be, supporting critical field requirements and resourcing and supporting things that enable success.

Impact that 2020 WRC had on Organisation & Rangers:

Simply enormous. UWA before COVID and the flooding of the River Nile was 95% reliant on tourism. With tourism having collapsed, UWA has been working on much reduced budgets. The WRC provided critical funds for ranger patrol food, fuel for patrol cars, motorbikes and boats, the maintenance of frontline cars, basic kit and veterinary drugs for rescues. 

In 2020 WRC support was limited to Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth Protected Areas. Kidepo Valley National Park is excited to join the Challenge this year! 

How support in 2021 could help:

It is imperative to keep UWA operational - for wildlife and the communities. Whilst poaching is high, without UWA the levels of loss would be enormous and would escalate extremely quickly. 

UWA rangers are dedicated, and morale and leadership must be sustained. Communities are extremely vulnerable, and previous means of support, such as revenue sharing, have gone. 

Operational teams, vehicles (boats, motorbikes and cars) and leadership must be helped to carry out the basics.

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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.