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. The Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary’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.

August 16th: Training Activity Push Up Challenge

August 23rd: Wildlife Quiz

August 30th: Training Activity Sit Up Challenge

September 18th: Wildlife Ranger Challenge

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 8 rangers and an estimated 10000 livelihoods in and around the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary in Ghana. 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:

Community rangers are employed to enforce hunting bans and restrictions in farming, fishing and other natural resource extraction. Their patrols cover the aquatic habitat and adjacent terrestrial protected core zones that preserve key habitat for the focal species. Their work is critical in detecting and mitigating threats from incursions by farmland or livestock, adjacent agricultural burns, and other bylaw infractions. They are also instrumental in population monitoring for the target species via camera traps and sign surveys. The rangers monitor bird species richness as an indicator of wider conservation benefits, assist with environmental awareness campaigns, and support the eco-tourism programme.

Impact that 2020 WRC had on Organisation & Rangers:

No member of staff has been made redundant in the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary (WCHS) since the onset of the Covid-19, thanks to the Wildlife Ranger Challenge. The rangers have been able to undertake weekly ground patrols and monthly river patrols. The continuation of this support for 2021 would benefit the WCHS as eco-tourism, particularly from international visitors, is still significantly reduced. Thus no proceeds from tourism are available to fund ranger, guide, and manager salaries.

Ongoing effects of the pandemic:

Since the poaching incident in April 2020, the rangers have not observed additional poaching activity. However, the rangers attribute this to wet season conditions. Encroachment into the core zone has been observed this wet season with the rangers recording three farmers conducting farming activity about 10-30 meters into the protected areas. The rangers are concerned that during the dry season, as the pandemic continues, poaching activity may increase. Further, bush fires attributed to farming activity present a greater threat to the protected areas in the dry season conditions.

How support in 2021 could help:

Support from the WRC in 2021 would allow WCHS to procure camera traps to track the movement of hippos into flooded streams and to observe human activities in the core zone. Two wooden boats would support patrols. Five walkie talkies would enable communication on patrol trips where there is no communication network. Twelve strong battery phones for the rangers and boatmen for easy communication. Twenty lifejackets for river safaris for the safety of the sanctuary visitors. Two guiding guns for the rangers to use on their patrols at the Sanctuary core zone and the yearly salary for the rangers, guides and managers plus allowances for cooks, drivers and boatmen.

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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.