The Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2021
Oceans Without Borders Marine Rangers is raising money for Tusk Trust
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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 Oceans Without Borders Marine Rangers 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 20 marine rangers and an estimated 120 livelihoods on and around Mnemba Island in Tanzania, and Vamizi and Benguerra Islands 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:
The Oceans Without Borders Community & Conservation (C&C) Marine Ranger Teams are recruited from local communities and are responsible for conducting the day-to-day ecological monitoring on the islands.
Their land and ocean duties include:
- Marine sanctuary patrols
- Fish-catch monitoring
- Beach erosion surveys
- Fish tagging
- Coral reef surveys
- Maintenance of underwater
monitoring equipment - Assistance to visiting research
scientists & students - Turtle nesting patrols and
monitoring - Vegetation surveys
- Community engagement,
engagement and capacity building
At each site the C&C Marine Rangers have a close working relationship with local partners, including local government, local fishers councils, universities and conservation management authorities, ensuring a truly collaborative approach to conservation.
Impact that 2020 WRC had on Organisation & Rangers:
The 2020 WRC has provided invaluable support to the Community & Conservation Marine Ranger teams, ensuring that all rangers have remained employed across all three islands despite the economic stress of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WRC funds have also financed transport, boat maintenance costs and fuel, allowing daily patrols of the Vamizi Island Marine Sanctuary to continue, and rangers to safely travel to and from work.
On Vamizi Island, the WRC funding has financed the replacement of critical diving infrastructure burned during a raid by insurgents. This has ensured that underwater data collection and maintenance of underwater infrastructure can continue.
Ongoing effects of the pandemic:
The pandemic continues to significantly impact international and regional tourism, which is one of the primary sources of income and livelihoods for coastal East African communities. This has led directly to job losses, wage reductions, and loss of income to the community through tourism and sport fishing levies, and a loss of alternative livelihood options from tourism (e.g. women’s craft groups).
At most sites, these effects of the pandemic have led to increased pressure on marine and forest resources due to an intensification of food insecurity. On Vamizi Island, and the Northern Quirimbas Archipelago, the security threat of the escalating insurgency has driven almost all local populations out of the region, resulting in a contrasting decrease in fishing pressure locally. But, with the knock-on effect of creating a humanitarian crisis in regional centres where people have sought refuge.
How support in 2021 could help:
Support from WRC in 2021 will secure the employment of the Community & Conservation Marine Ranger teams across Oceans Without Borders' three island sites.
This, in turn, will allow the rangers to support their communities, and to safeguard the marine environments and wildlife that they work to conserve.
Protecting these ecosystems will also underwrite the food security of the coastal and island communities who rely on the spill over of fish from these source areas.
Funds will also finance uniforms, fuel and transport to enable rangers to effectively perform their role as custodians of our East African marine ecosystems.
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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.
Main photo courtesy of Mark Ziembicki
