You can follow campaign updates on social media @KaringaniMozambique and 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. The Karingani Game 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 60 rangers and an estimated 144 livelihoods in and around the Karingani Game Reserve 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:

At Karingani, our rangers secure the territorial integrity of Karingani Game Reserve to the ultimate purpose of restoring the reserve to be an ecological expansion of the Kruger National Park (South Africa), into Mozambique. Karingani Rangers are responsible for 73km of international Kruger fence in an area of Mozambique that was historically attributed to over 75% of the rhino poaching incursions into KNP. Key activities include patrolling, gathering and reporting environmental data and minimizing incursions into Karingani and thus Kruger safeguarding both reserves rhino populations.

Impact that 2020 WRC had on Organisation & Rangers:

The 2020 WRC inspired our rangers by connecting them with other rangers and supportors in a single challenge with rangers across Africa. On Race Day, other Karingani staff members and their families joined along with our rangers in some of the physical challenges along with a 5km Fun Run on the big race day at our headquarters to show their passion and support for our rangers. This year, we hope to make our local and virtual events even bigger. Join Team Karingani by sharing your challenge videos and images on social media with #TeamKaringani @KaringaniMozambique.

Ongoing effects of the pandemic:

COVID continues to impact rangers across the world and we see the effect at Karingani in the realm of restricting cash flow to our budgets in the form of training, recruitment, equipment, K9 support equipment and aerial surveillance and deployment support of K9 tracking teams and response team.

How support in 2021 could help:

Support from the WRC in 2021 will assist Karingani to support our rangers in providing training - through the development of skills, motivation will be improved; purchase of equipment for the K9 unit support, as well as K9 cooling vests to help our dogs continue to preform safely during the heat of the Mozambican summers. Furthermore, we aim to raise funds to purchase K9 Tactical In Field First Aid Kits as well as protective booties to protect the dogs' feet from sharp terrain. By increasing the reach of the K9 tracking unit will increase the effectiveness of the unit by enabling remote and rapid deployment over the 150,000Ha and 148km fence line on the eastern boundary of the reserve.

Help up reach our goals:

• £30 covers the cost of one pair of K9 protective goggles.
  These goggles will help protect the eyes of our K9s as they navigate through thick and thorny bush in pursuit of poachers. During deployments, tiny spoors from the grasses can penetrate into the dogs' eyes causing irritation and potential damage. 
  
  
• £60 covers the cost of one full set of K9 protective boots. 
  Some sections of Karingani have very rugged and rocky terrain. This terrain not only gets hot, but also can be sharp and dangerous to the unprotected feet of our dogs. Protective boots will not only protect the dogs' feet against the hot and sharp terrain, but also help to prevent the penetration of nasty thorns which could cause pain and infections putting our dogs out of work.
  
  
• £75 covers the cost of one Ranger Head Torch. Oftentimes ranger deployment operations continue even after the sun has set. The dangers operating in a Big 5 reserve increase at night. Having reliable head torches would enable our rangers to be able to light up their path during night time operations and aid in safely returning back to camp once the job is complete.
  
  
• £75 covers the cost of one 3L CamelBak 3L Hydration Pack to supply our rangers and K9s with water while working out in the field and on deployments.
  
  
• £100 covers the cost of horse food for the Equine Anti-Poaching Unit horses for one month.
  
  
• £120 covers the cost of one K9 Body Cooling Vest and additional cooling packs which will safely increase work tolerance time and reduces the negative effects associated with heat stress increasing the efficiency of detection dogs. Summers in Mozambique can easily reach temperatures of 45-50° C which puts great strain on our canines and limits the amount of time in which they can safely operate during hot weather deployments.
  
  
• £140 covers the cost of food for the APU canines for one month.
  
  
• £230 covers the cost of one K9 Tactical First Aid Field Kit designed to enable handlers to provide lifesaving treatment to injured canines at the point of injury or when veterinary care is not immediately available.
  
  
• £300 covers the cost of one Wireless Outdoor Security Camera Unit. These camera traps can be deployed anywhere in the reserve providing real time images when triggered by human or wildlife movement many them and effective early warning system.
  
  
• £415 covers the cost of operating the helicopter for one hour. The large-scale, remoteness and limited road network of Karingani make accessing many sections of the reserve by vehicle near impossible which puts a huge impediment on rapid deployment of scouts along with vital tracking K9s to remote areas of Karingani. Having a helicopter momentously affects the timing for rapid deployments allowing rangers to respond to tracks swiftly even in the more inaccessible areas. The operating costs of running the helicopter include the cost of the specialised fuel, skilfully trained helicopter pilot and general maintenance for the machine and are charged per hour of operation.
  
  
• £1,300 covers the cost of one K9 Tracking Harness to allow real time reporting of dogs and unit in pursuit of poachers and aerial support for the K9 teams.
  
  
• £4,000 covers the cost of one Elephant Tracking Collar and associated veterinary costs for fitting the collar on the elephant. Satellite tracking collars allow for critical information on elephant movement, migration and habitat use to be collected. This enables reserve management and researchers to gain knowledge into how elephants utilise the landscape and provide insight in how we can better protect our elephants as well as preserve the ecosystem around its largest inhabitants’ use.

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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.