SAWC wins the Wildlife Rangers Challenge

The WRC was started in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with the goal of keeping wildlife rangers employed through the crisis. It has grown into an annual celebration of connection and camaraderie for the ranger profession. The SAWC has been taking part in the challenge since its inception in 2020.

The other teams that participated were Kruger National Park (KNP) Special Rangers, KNP Marula South, KNP Marula North, KNP Xanatsene South, KNP Xanatsene North and Black Mambas. The teams set off on Saturday, September 16 at 06:30 just south of the KNP’s Orpen Gate where the college is located with support vehicles, the SAWC’s airwing, and its K9 team to ensure their safety. Each team comprised four runners, with the men in the team carrying 22kg and the women 10kg in their backpacks.

Also read: Join Africa’s wildlife rangers in this challenge to raise awareness

This year, instead of sand, the teams carried bagged rice, which was weighed in the night before and again on the morning of the 21km race to comply with the race regulations. Joining them in solidarity were four unofficial teams running without backpacks. These included a community team representing the Kruger Park Running Club (21km), a Southern African Wildlife College staff team (10km/21km), a Sabi Sands team (21km), and a team comprising of the Braveheart course leader and three course-goers (21km).

Jeanné Poultney, executive manager of marketing, fundraising, and media relations at SAWC, said the conditions on Saturday were tough. “In the blistering heat, the first official team that came in as a collective was the team from the SAWC with team members Clive Ngomane, Tebogo Malapane, Excellent Ubisi, and Precious Malapane.” She said that teams of rangers across Africa started training for the WRC prior to World Ranger Day on July 31.

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She said the WRC is coordinated by Tusk Trust (an NGO) and the Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA) and is a multi-million fundraising initiative that features a series of fitness challenges. “Wildlife rangers operate on the very frontline of conservation across Africa, routinely making personal sacrifices to put their lives on the line to protect the continent’s wildlife and habitats. Yet they are so much more than just law enforcement officers.

“They are also teachers, community support workers, mediators, researchers, and more. Unfortunately, resources are not keeping pace with the scale of the challenges they are trying to tackle,” she said. The challenge raises critical funding to cover operating costs, including salaries and equipment, for over 10 000 rangers.

“This will help them protect threatened wildlife and some of the continent’s most vulnerable areas, while also protecting communities and securing coexistence with wildlife, as well as providing for their own families. The WRC is the world’s largest celebration of solidarity, support, and fundraising for the ranger profession,” she said. “Together with the GRAA and with the support of the Scheinberg Relief Fund, the challenge highlights the role of rangers, and the work they do, often in hazardous conditions and with low pay and few benefits. “It brings together over 100 ranger teams across more than 20 African countries who run in support of one another,” said Andrew Campbell, CEO of GRAA.