Post Date: 18 August 2021
The Wildlife Ranger Challenge – By Rangers, For Rangers
On 18 September, the Project Rhino K9-Unit will join more than 150 Ranger teams from 20 countries in the 2021 Wildlife Ranger Challenge – an epic 21 km half-marathon across varied terrain, in full kit, carrying a 22 kg backpack. The Challenge aims to generate crucial funding to support thousands of Africa’s rangers across Africa.
Africa’s Rangers are stretched to capacity. They continue to experience drastic cuts in resources due to the devastating economic impact of Covid-19, whilst poaching pressures mount daily. Communities who rely on eco-tourism are struggling, while many conservation areas cannot maintain their work as revenues from tourism have disappeared. Pressures on Africa’s protected areas threaten to compromise decades of development and conservation success.
That is why on 18 September 2021, Ranger teams from 80 protected areas in 20 African countries are uniting around the Wildlife Ranger Challenge. Teams are running the race with one goal; to raise money to help thousands of their colleagues, enabling them to support themselves and their communities and to protect African wildlife such as elephants, pangolins, rhinos, and lion. Watch the official campaign video online.
You can help! Join the K9-Unit in supporting Africa’s Rangers by making a direct donation to the Ranger Fund, or join the Ranger Challenge virtually, wherever you are. Now is the time to go the extra mile to support our Rangers!
Join the 2021 Wildlife Ranger Challenge Virtually
Do you have what it takes to be a Ranger? Join the teams as they prepare for the race in a series of physical and mental challenges throughout August and then lace-up your shoes and join the Challenge virtually on 18 September. You can walk or run 5, 10 or 21 km and each step taken is a move toward bringing Ranger teams back up to pre-Covid-19 capacity. Register online at https://wildliferangerchallenge.org/challenge-2021/
Your Gift Amplified
The Scheinberg Relief Fund has generously committed a $1.35 million matching fund to support the vital work that Rangers do. Your donation through the Just Giving donation portal will be 100% matched, doubling your impact. From this matched funding, an additional 25% goes to the K9-Unit and the remaining 75% is shared among African rangers, where the need is greatest.
To find out more, or to support the cause, please go to our Just Giving page.
#ForWildlifeRangers
Follow our progress on social media and help spread the message using #ForWildlifeRangers
The Wildlife Ranger Challenge is made possible by Tusk, NATURAL STATE, the Game Rangers Association of Africa, The Thin Green Line, and the International Ranger Foundation.
About the Project Rhino K9-Unit
The K9-team includes both tracking and detection dogs, protecting 20+ conservation areas, including one of the largest remaining populations of black and white rhino in the world. When the team is not training for the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, you will find them supporting local law enforcement, helping to locate missing wildlife, removing snares and conducting patrols of 6 – 8 km daily. The team is on call 24-hours a day and has been instrumental in a number of significant arrests related to poaching and illegal wildlife products, narcotics, illegal weapons and high value stolen goods.
Last year, the Project Rhino K9-team placed an incredible first in South Africa, and fourth overall.
#ForWildlifeRangers
Images by Angie Raab, Boots on the Ground Photograph