Wildlife Conservation Zambia Project #40137

Wildlife Rangers

by David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation

Project Report | May 12, 2022
Wildlife Rangers - May Update

By Jo Briffitt | Supporter Care & Database Executive

Special Anti-Poaching Unit, Credit Jo Briffitt

Thank you for supporting Wildlife Rangers.

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) has been supporting wildlife rangers in Africa for over thirty years. From the Kafue National Park in Zambia to the deserts of Namibia, DSWF has always acknowledged the vital role that these selfless individuals play in conserving Africa’s most endangered species, often against difficult odds.

Our ground-based conservation partners Game Rangers International (GRI) based in Zambia pursue a holistic approach to conservation by empowering Rangers across three core thematic areas: Wildlife Rescue, Resource Protection and Community Outreach. Their main area of focus is the Kafue National Park (KNP) which is a vast 22,000km², nicknamed the ‘Lungs of Africa’ due to its sheer size and pristine wilderness. The KNP containing an incredible amount of biodiversity and populations of many rare species. With an area as vast as this to protect, it is estimated that one ranger is required per 50km²to provide blanket protection. GRI’s resource protection rangers require key strategic planning and technology to be efficient in reducing poaching and other illegal activity within the Greater Kafue which includes the KNP and surrounding game management areas.

The implementation of the special anti-poaching units and rapid response teams allows GRI to respond in real time to live incidents and threats of poaching and human-wildlife conflict. These highly trained teams rely heavily on technology and intelligence from the local communities. Through the use of satellite radio towers within key areas of the park, linked to a control room at the base of operations, the team can track movements within the park 24/7. This includes ranger locations, collared wildlife such as elephants and lions, and patrol vehicles, all of which are linked up with GPS. The towers also have thermal imaging cameras attached which allow identification of suspicious activity such as a boat crossing the lake at night travelling from a community into the national park. Ranger teams are then deployed immediately to investigate with a clear target and location. This process has proven to be successful in the apprehension of multiple poachers, seizures of weapons and in reducing human-wildlife conflict.

Community outreach is a vital addition to the protection of wildlife within the Greater Kafue. Community outreach rangers regularly visit local communities in this area to deliver conservation education and support the community in finding alternative sustainable incomes which do not rely on resources from the national park. Part of this programme includes the training of community scouts to provide manpower to the ranger teams in antipoaching patrols. Alongside this, women in the communities are empowered by the development of enterprises such a bakeries which are set up to enable them to receive their own income and help provide for their families. These programmes have been instrumental in improving the quality of life for the communities, educating the next generation on the importance of protecting this wonderous ecosystem and the endangered species who live within it.

Find out more about our work with Rangers.

David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) would love to keep you up-to-date with how your generous support is making a difference, share exciting wildlife conservation stories and tell you about forthcoming campaigns, fundraising initiatives and events. If you would like to hear more from us please let us know via our online form: Stay In Touch

Special Anti-Poaching Unit, Credit Jo Briffitt

Permalink

Jan 14, 2022
Wildlife Rangers - January Update

By Jo B | Supporter Care & Database Executive

Image Credit: Save The Rhino Trust

Thank you for supporting David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation through GlobalGiving.

Over the past six months, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) have continued to provide unwavering support to the brave men and women who work on the front line of conservation.

In Zambia, DSWF have been supporting the protection of the Greater Kafue ecosystem which spans over 66,000km². Through our funding, our ground-based conservation partners were able to support 28 rangers who have patrolled almost 19,000km of the Kafue ecosystem apprehending 35 poachers and seizing 35 weapons. To support these rangers, DSWF have also provided vital equipment including tents, patrol water bottles and roll mats alongside contributing to ranger salary support, performance bonuses and the provision of medicines and health insurance.

In Russia, DSWF funding has helped support rangers to protect a vital Amur tiger habitat in the Primorsky and Khabarovsky krais of the Russian Far East (RFE). Utilising an innovative technology called SMART, DSWF are helping our ground-based conservation partners to collect, measure and evaluate data to improve the effectiveness of their conservation initiatives. Over the past six months alone, DSWF supported rangers have patrolled over 9,450km to protect this vital habitat which holds 13.8% of the worlds wild tiger population.

In Namibia, DSWF are providing ranger support which has allowed our ground-based conservation partners to log a huge 38,155km of patrols throughout the Kunene and Erongo regions. This area is home to one of the last remaining populations of the desert-adapted black rhino. The last recorded poaching incident was in August 2020 meaning that over a year has now passed without a rhino being killed, an incredible achievement in comparison with the 30 animals lost between 2014-2016 which highlights the impact of the ranger patrols and monitoring activities.

The Bigger Picture

Over the past 12 months, DSWF have continued our 37-year legacy of providing unwavering support to protect some of the world’s most endangered species. Over the course of 2022 we will continue to support our long-term conservation partners to protect wildlife, tackle wildlife crime and reduce poaching threats alongside engaging and supporting more community groups working to protect wildlife.

Thanks to your help, we have granted over £11 million in direct conservation support to turn the tide on extinction.

On behalf of everyone at DSWF and the wildlife we fight to protect, Thank You.

Links:

Permalink

Sep 15, 2021
Wildlife Rangers - September Update & Campaign

By Jo B | Supporter Care & Database Executive

Thank you for supporting David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation through GlobalGiving. As well as providing you with your bi-annual Ranger project report full of fantastic news and results of this project we would also like to inform you about an exciting campaign.

In the past year one of our main objectives has been to support ranger and law enforcement programmes, working alongside our ground-based conservation partners we have seen some incredible results further protecting our keystone species. Here are a few highlights:

Thailand: DSWF funding has been allocated to support anti-poaching operations, training 182 rangers and conducting vital tiger surveys. Over the last 12 months, not a single tiger has been killed in our project area.

Russian Far East: DSWF funding has supported 125 rangers to patrol 411,905km of tiger habitat. As a direct result of these patrols, not a single tiger poaching incident occurred across the five protected areas DSWF supports.

Mongolia: DSWF supported seven rangers to effectively conduct 7,452km of patrols in the Tost Nature Reserve covering over 7,000km2 of prime snow leopard habitat.

Vietnam: DSWF supported ranger patrols covering 3,169km (equal to twice the length of Vietnam). These patrols are essential to disincentivise poachers entering the park and to remove snare traps set to capture wildlife. Data proves that the illegal poaching in the area has reduced by over 90% since the project started.

Zimbabwe: DSWF continued our long-term support of anti-poaching patrols in the Hwange National Park contributing towards 16,144km of ranger patrols, the apprehension and prosecution of 28 poachers and the removal of c.3000 snares.

Namibia: Our funding this year has supported just under 35,000km of ranger patrols and led to 27 arrests of individuals involved in rhino poaching.

Zambia: DSWF funding has allowed anti-poaching units to conduct 25,209km of ranger patrols, leading to the apprehension of 103 poachers and the confiscation of 17 firearms.

Without protecting our rangers, having funds to equip and train them, provide support for their families this incredible work would not be possible.

How can you help this vital work continue?

This week GlobalGiving are hosting their annual Little by Little campaign, this means that all donations donated through GlobalGiving to David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation between Monday 13^th and Friday 17^th September will receive 50% match funding from GlobalGiving. So, if you donate £20 today, we receive £30 towards Ranger protection making your contribution work that little bit harder!

We are hugely grateful that you have chosen to support us to help turn the tide on extinction. Thank you.

Little by Little Campaign T’s and C’s

Campaign runs from Monday 13^th to Friday 17^th September.
Donations up to the amount of $50 / £36 will be match funded by 50%.
One donation per unique donor will be match funded.
New monthly donations set up this week will be 50% match funded and your 4th donation will be 100% matched!
All DSWF GlobalGiving projects are eligable for match funding.

Permalink

‹ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.