The Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2021
Mt Kenya National Park and Reserve - Mount Kenya Trust is raising money for Tusk Trust
Story
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. The Mt Kenya National Park and Reserve’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 6 rangers and an estimated 500 livelihoods in and around the Mt Kenya National Park and Reserve 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:
Mount Kenya Trust (MKT) has four patrol teams composed of at least six personnel. In total, they have 30 community wildlife guards. Their operation teams are distributed in sectors within Mount Kenya, across four operation bases. The Joint Wildlife Protection Team (JWPT) is based at the Ruthumbi forest station. In terms of patrols, the team is mandated with daily patrols of both forest reserve and the national park and some of their work include identifying illegal activities including illegal hunting, poaching, illegal logging, de-snaring, problem animal control, fighting arson/wildfires, remove illegally grazing livestock and bomas/shelters.The teams operate with both Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Forest Service.
Impact that 2020 WRC had on Organisation & Rangers:
The 2020 WRC supported the Imenti Patrol Team in a year when all of the finance for the team was withdrawn due to tourism. Without the fund MKT would have struggled to find funding for this critical team based in the Imenti Forest Reserve. The area is a hot spot for human-elephant conflict, charcoal production and illegal grazing. The WRC Challenge brought the entire team together and helped to motivate and inspire all of our rangers through a tough time when so many were losing their jobs and livelihoods.
Ongoing effects of the pandemic:
The effects of the pandemic are still being felt throughout Kenya and within MKT as an organisation. Our annual 10to4 fundraising event was postponed due to Covid-19 that usually fills critical gaps in our ranger team funding. The total amount raised on this event was less than 50 per cent the usual amount and they are still looking for funding to cover our operations until the end of the year. Nearly all of MKT’s donors have either frozen or reduced the amount donated which leaves the Trust in a difficult situation to complete the year. As the pandemic continues to disrupt tourism and other services, the future is still looking uncertain.
How support in 2021 could help:
Support in 2021 would fund the JWPT for a full 12 months once emergency funding runs out in June 2021. MKT are still looking for financing for this highly effective and impactful team that have been supported by Tusk for years. If this team is moved out of the field, illegal activities immediately increase within a matter of weeks in the Ruthumbi area. A number of our 2022 events have been postponed due to the ongoing pandemic and so we are still unsure if we will have funding to fill the gaps going forward.
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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.