A Marathon of Dedication Supporting Rangers through Lewa's Wildlife Race

Harriet James

The courageous rangers stood in a straight line, poised, each with a 22-kg bag full of stones. They were filled with anticipation; their minds were focused; the tension in the air was palpable, their nervousness clearly visible on their faces. These tireless and resilient heroes would be running in a team of four, each drawn from the eleven conservancies that signed up, and their greatest test would be that of endurance. To prove how fit they are and how well they can run together as one.

They explode into motion at the sound of the starting gun.

Between June and September 2023 that gun started more than 1,500 rangers off in 103 teams from 20 African countries, carrying 22kg for 21 kilometres. Could you do that? This challenge is the fourth annual Wildlife Ranger Challenge, coordinated by Tusk and the Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA). It is a multi-million-dollar fundraising initiative that features a series of fitness challenges that culminate in this endurance run. The initiative is meant to unite them in a call for funding and awareness of the plight of rangers on the continent.

Despite the fact that conservation rangers work tirelessly day and night, putting their lives on the line across Africa’s harsh terrain to protect our planet’s endangered species and ecosystems, they face a myriad of challenges: Long hours and nights under the open skies, harsh weather and the threat of animal attacks, low salaries without benefits or insurance.

I ask again – would you protect our last wilderness spaces for these returns? And nor should they be asked to leave families in homes far away for so little acknowledgement.

Of the 89 percent of rangers surveyed across Africa, 40 percent were not covered by health insurance, 50 percent had no life insurance, and 60 percent had no long-term disability insurance.

2023 saw the instigation of regional races, with events taking place in Uganda, Zambia and South Africa, giving ranger teams the opportunity to compete directly with their counterparts. Thousands of rangers took part virtually too from their respective protected areas across the African continent.

In Kenya, the event took place at Lewa Conservancy. “It has been exciting to see the growth of the Wildlife Ranger Challenge amongst our profession. For the first time ever, we hosted teams from different areas who enjoyed gathering to test themselves against their colleagues. The competition built camaraderie and fostered a sense of collaboration and togetherness amongst ranger teams. Even as they competed, they ran together in solidarity. It is inspiring to see the passion, tenacity and teamwork on display as rangers unite for a common cause across the continent,” says Andrew Campbell, Chief Executive at the Game Rangers’ Association of Africa.

Launched in 2020 to fundraise and support the welfare of rangers affected by the pandemic, the Wildlife Ranger Challenge campaign has so far raised over $16 million and connected hundreds of rangers from 24 African countries with many thousands of supporters from more than 90 countries around the world.

“As the campaign enters its fourth year, we are inspired to see such exponential growth in collaboration, competition and goodwill amongst our protected area partners. We are grateful for the extraordinary philanthropic support provided by the Scheinberg Relief Fund, EJF Philanthropies, and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance."

Franco Kasana, a ranger and team leader at Loisaba, has been training with his team for the past two months to ensure that they are fit for the challenge. ‘It is waking early and running for two hours at 6am in tough terrain and all this before work!’ he grins in a way that betrays his tough fitness. ‘And it all paid off,’ he smiled triumphantly ‘we won the event! This is because of the determination and dedication from my team. Our leaders also gave us morals to do this, and that’s how we got here. Carrying the heavy bag required patience, tolerance, and endurance, and that’s what made us win. We would cheer each other up whenever we saw our friends in the race being defeated by the challenge.

We had the slogan kazana twende, and we would tell each other, and that made us have one spirit,” recalls Franco.

The 24-year-old was inspired to be a ranger one year ago after failing to be selected to be part of the police unit. Now, he has found a new passion to live for and something that puts food on the table: being a ranger. But despite the passion, the job comes with its own share of challenges.

“Sometimes we go on patrol and meet wild animals, before I was afraid and feared they would want to kill us, but now we have learned to read their behaviours and to move quickly to safety. In this job we learn more about wildlife and the tactics to escape any danger.’

Others have spoken of the danger in facing poachers, but many are most proud of bringing peace and stability to communities by helping to solve the cattle raiding.

Edwin Kinyanjui, head of the conservation and education department at Mount Kenya Trust, believes that the challenge was a great way of uniting rangers across the world and assisting in creating awareness of their plight. ‘We are used to being by ourselves, but the challenge has brought us together as rangers. The different segments are also useful as they have enabled rangers to utilise their free time well, now we engage in exercises, and the quizzes have assisted rangers to become knowledgeable in world affairs.’

Edward Nderitu, the head of the antipoaching unit in Lewa, believes that the challenge instilled discipline in the team and showcased the tough training that rangers in Africa go through to carry out their role. A role that perhaps more safari visitors should be aware of.

‘This race was more about showing off how fit our rangers are! We want to show the world that the difficult terrain we work in, the training we undergo, the donors who support us allow us to conserve for future generations.’ He added that presently, because of awareness, rangers are becoming recognised, starting with the award that he himself received in 2015.

“I would say that governments presently recognise rangers, and in some countries like ours, during the pandemic, a kitty was set aside for them. Even now, in the community, people are appreciating our work and knowing that we are here to preserve the wildlife and to keep them safe. Travelling outside of Kenya to collect my award was a privilege. I shook the hand of Prince William of the Tusk Trust and he in turn learnt of my work in Lewa. I felt that I was honoured. It was good. I realized that we are not alone in this journey and that people recognize our work.’

On top of the $16 million, the founding donor, the Scheinberg Relief Fund, generously committed $1 million in matched funds to support those rangers most in need in 2023. In addition, a global, collaborative public fundraising campaign for the Wildlife Ranger Challenge has the additional goal of raising $3 million to support thousands of as-yet-unsupported rangers in the field.

‘By having rangers participate in these stacked challenges, we increase awareness of the difficulties they face. With the funds, we have managed to improve infrastructure facilities and medical equipment training for rangers. We are instigating a ranger insurance scheme. Our aim is to ensure that a ranger is a recognised profession in the world, to do this we must change the public perception of what it means to be a ranger. They are not just men in boots with guns; they are ecologists, community education officers, mothers, fathers. Their job is all-encompassing,’ concludes Sara Watsman, director of programs for the Tusk Trust and the organizer of the Wildlife Ranger Events.