"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead, American anthropologist, 1901-1978
World Ranger Day gives us all the opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the incredible work Rangers do around the world, both men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting the planet’s wildlife and wild places.
African Parks celebrate their Rangers too. They have a team of 1,000 Rangers and it’s growing. As they say, their Rangers are “boots on the ground”
African Parks has 15 parks under its management. That means that 10.5 million hectares are being secured, thanks to the 100,000 plus patrols the Rangers carry out every year. They defend the most remote, wildest and often conflict ridden areas on the continent. Thanks to the Rangers, African Parks can ensure that protected areas have the ecosystem services and opportunities locals deserve. For Rangers help bring jobs, provide education, healthcare and stability.
Examples of Achievements of the African Parks Rangers:
Rangers have decreased elephant poaching by 98% in Garamba in the DRC. Thanks to the better security, there’s a sustainable development plan which will help bring clean water, electricity and education to over 100,000 people around the park.
In Zakouma, Chad, they have practically eliminated poaching and elephant numbers are going up for the first time in decades. And they are working with local communities and reducing illegal activity in the area.
In Chinko in the Central African Republic, they have provided safe harbour people fleeing conflict. 32 of them have been employed to help cattle herders observe the park’s boundary.
Rangers are undertaking very dangerous work, nonetheless, and they need your support. They need continual training, equipment and gear to meet the threat of poaching.
On ITV tonight (that’s Tuesday 30 July 2019) at 9pm UK time, ITV are showing Counting Tigers: A Survival Special and it should make very interesting viewing.
Tiger Numbers fell drastically
There are now just about 4,000 tigers left in the wild around the world and about 60% of those live in India. Estimates suggest that the tiger population has gone down 95% in the last century alone.
India Tiger Survey now takes place every 4 years
India has just undertaken its next tiger survey to count these magnificent animals in the country’s borders. If the tiger numbers go up, there’s hope for the species. If they don’t… The programme has exclusive access to India’s tiger count, an event which takes place every 4 years. The results come in area by area. Please be warned that the programme has terrible evidence of poaching.
What’s behind the fall in tiger numbers?
Their numbers dropped because of people, of course; people encroaching on tiger habitat, and poachers who wanted every bit of the tiger to sell.
India has been changing very rapidly – with roads, railways and industry spreading all over the place which makes it very difficult for the tiger to survive. Trophy hunters also want to shoot tigers, no doubt many of them claiming that’s in the cause of “conservation”.
Greed and ignorance drive the demand for the tiger. Poachers claim 2 tigers a week, often leaving cubs to fend for themselves and try to make it to adulthood.
Poachers need tigers for their fur as luxury home décor, tiger bone to treat rheumatism and arthritis, and to make a tonic wine, as a general bone-strengthening tonic. Tiger bone wine is often use for bribery, and in some places, it’s sold a virility product. Its teeth and claws become jewellery. This is all luxury goods – there is no reason why a tiger body part should be traded at all.
Technology helps the tiger survey in India
Martin Hughes-Games is a campaigner and conservationist and he tracks the new count from its start to finish, using the latest technology to determine numbers. He follows wardens and scientists across the India landscapes.
Camera traps take over 30,000 tiger images, their stripes, (like fingerprints) identify each individual tiger. Mobile phone mapping apps and DNA analysis are used too.
The new technology gives far greater accuracy to the survey. Counting tigers can be dangerous – they have become lighter on their paws and trackers can easily get trapped in the Sunderbans’ marshlands and become prey.
What will happen to the tiger?
Hughes-Games finds that in at least one of India’s 50 conservation parks, the tiger is now extinct. Will other parks find an increase in numbers or have the same sad numbers to report?
Joanna Lumley narrates this programme, and it’s clear that the future of tigers may depend on the efforts of conservationists in India.
Once the count is complete, the documentary reveals whether the number has risen or fallen - a key moment for the survival of the species because if the count shows a decline then this could spell the end for the tiger in the wild, whereas an increase might indicate that this is one of the world’s most successful conservation stories.
There’s good news from Tanzania. Elephant and rhino numbers have started to rebound after the government cracked down on organised criminal networks who were involved in industrial-scale poaching. These networks were dismantled.
You may have heard about a well-known Chinese businesswoman who smuggled the tusks of over 350 elephants to Asia. The “Ivory Queen” got 15 years in prison as a result.
A special task force was launched in 2016 to fight wildlife poaching.
Elephant numbers had been 110,000 in 2009 but their numbers tumbled, with conservation groups blaming poaching. Ivory turned into jewels and ornaments had caused poaching to surge, thanks to a demand from countries such as China and Vietnam.
However, a presidential statement stated last week that elephant numbers have gone up to 43,330 in 2014 (according to the 2015 census) to over 60,000 at the moment.
Rhinos had gone up from only 15 to 167 in the last 4 years. This number 15 is at variance with the CITES estimation of 133 in 2015. Mind you, either way it means the number of rhinos has gone up.
It just shows the damage poaching can do to wildlife numbers – and how that damage can be reversed, with real effort.
Tourism is the main source of hard currency for Tanzania. Wildlife safaris, Indian Ocean beaches and Mount Kilimanjaro are its most famous “attractions”.
Revenues from it were up from $1.9 billion in 2015 to $2.5 billion in 2018.
Tanzania has set aside 32% of its total land area for conservation projects. I must say this doesn’t sound a very high percentage to me, given the amount of land wildlife used to have, but then if it’s for specific projects maybe that makes it better.
Unfortunately, it’s dismissed criticism from environmentalists about a $3 billion hydropower dam project in the famous Selous Game Reserve – which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Still lots of room for improvement, then, Tanzania.
The African Wildlife Foundation has an opportunity to match all donations made by new donors by 31 May 2019.
New donors can DOUBLE THEIR IMPACT
Help the charity raise $100,000 by that date and your gift will be doubled. Give $10, and will become $20. Give $25 and it will become $50. Double your impact with your gift – you give what you can and want to give, and it will be doubled!
The funds raised will help save elephants, rhinos, lions and other species from wildlife traffickers.
So how will your donation help? What difference will it make?
The African Wildlife Foundation says that:
Sniffer dogs will track poachers to their hiding places
Co-ordination among wildlife authorities will deter poachers
Canine detection teams will bust smugglers with 90% accuracy
Law enforcement and prosecutors willuse AWF training to build cases against wildlife criminals and impose just sentences
New technologies, including drones, will incrase surveillance and a new cybersecurity initiative will help identify international trafficers and disrupt online sales
The charity are looking for 500 new donors by 31 May 2019 UPDATE: THEY GOT THEM :-) But you can still donate!
The email I had this morning says that Candice Bergen will kindly double your gift of any amount. But the charity is needing these donors if that’s to happen.
They are on the way to achieving that goal – so if you can donate to charity, please take a look at the African Wildlife Foundation and join 500 others (or maybe more!) in making a difference to wildlife.
What do you want to achieve in 2019? What would you think if you were able to play a part in delivering anti-poaching techniques, protecting wild landscapes and helping to expand a ranger force to protect wildlife?
Well, I’ve had an email from African Parks, a non-profit conservation organisation. It takes on the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities.
In their email, they share their goals to make an impact for people and wildlife in Africa. And they need supporters to help them achieve their targets.
Here are African Parks’ goals:
To expand their ranger force by recruiting 200 new Rangers and growing their force to 1,200. The rangers come from local communities so this is a great way to involve local people in conservation – it gives locals a chance to take charge of their futures
To grow and deliver successful anti-poaching techniques. Its K9 anti-poaching unit in Akagera, Rwanda, is helping to bring poaching to an all-time low in the park. New puppies are training to join the unit next year, and the plan is to deploy a new K9 unit in Garamba in the DRC where parks have been hard hit by militarised elephant poaching
To restore and protect more wild landscapes. At the moment, African Parks manages 15 parks in 9 countries, conserving 10.5 million hectares in Benin, Central African Republic, Chad, the DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Zambia. Its aim is to manage 20 parks by 2020. Several parks are in the pipeline already.
African Parks celebrates World Ranger Day 
