Tusk

Wildlife Rangers are at the forefront of biodiversity conservation. They make invaluable contributions to safeguarding species and habitats, sometimes at the risk of their lives. If we are to protect a third of the planet by 2030, we need to support and promote the work of the world’s planetary workers – rangers. Last week, our Chief Conservation Officer, Sarah Watson, attended the World Ranger Congress in Hyeres, France, where 450 rangers and supporters from 88 countries were hosted. It went a long way in advocating for the recognition rangers need and wholly deserve. Please read the Hyères Ranger Declaration 2024 here: https://brnw.ch/21wNPjY

The Living Planet Report released yesterday by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) once more highlights the downward trend in global biodiversity and species loss. The report states that since 1970 the average size of the earth’s wildlife populations has fallen by an alarming 73%.   ‘The Living Planet’ also asserts that, ‘It is not too late to bring our world back to life’, through the implementation of ‘big changes’.    Tusk strongly believes that one such major change should be to respect, invest in and recognise the vital work of the Wildlife Ranger profession – one of Tusk’s key pillars of work.   In Africa, daily Ranger work is often life-threatening, but the profession is generally under-valued, as evidenced by poor remuneration, a lack of adequate insurance cover and scant professional training.   Yet Wildlife Rangers steward and nurture the vast tracts of Africa’s land and waters that are vital for the future of life on earth: the continent is home to 25% of the world’s remaining biodiversity.   At this demonstrably critical point in planetary history, we need to support the dedicated men and women who watch over threatened species, are integral to local communities and play an indispensable part in reaching the biodiversity goals that aim to protect 30% of the planet by 2030.   Find out more about the Living Planet Report here: https://lnkd.in/eK7TcGnB   #ForWildlifeRangers #LivingPlanetReport #ActForOurPlanet

Today we celebrate #WorldRhinoDay 🦏 Black rhinos are critically endangered; it is estimated that there are now fewer than 6,000 left in the wild. The main threat: poaching for the international rhino horn trade. Tusk is proud to invest in monitoring and surveillance of important black rhino populations. Simson Ohri-Khob is the CEO of Save the Rhino Trust Namibia, an organisation that works hard to protect the desert-adapted Namibian black rhino, which is the largest of all the rhino sub-species and is also the last, free-roaming population in the world. ‘These animals are in my heart,’ Simson says of the rhino that inhabit the 25,000 km² remote, rocky communal rangelands of Kunene, in northwest Namibia. ‘I love watching them walking and grazing. The black rhino is actually a very peaceful animal, if you treat it with respect.’ His goal remains constant. 'I want to see thriving rhino and thriving people, living close together in this beautiful place.' Read our latest blog on rhinos here: https://brnw.ch/21wMZDF

Did you know that dogs are invaluable partners to Wildlife Rangers? Their keen sense of smell means they are amazing at tracking human poaching suspects, locating snares and finding wounded wildlife! Today on #InternationalDogDay, we thank the canine conservation heroes working on the frontline, and the Rangers who work, train and protect them. 🐶 The #WildlifeRangerChallenge unites thousands worldwide in a common goal: to raise vital funds for frontline conservation efforts. With the generous support from The Scheinberg Relief Fund, every donation made will be matched - DOUBLING your impact! Show your support for #CaninesInConservation today, by donating and signing up for the Wildlife Ranger Challenge! 💪 Find out more about Canines on the Conservation Front Line: https://brnw.ch/21wM4MF 📸Marcus Westberg (1,2), Sean Viljoen and Harisson Cooney

In 2009, Tusk’s Partner, @biglifeafrica, established the ‘Maasai Olympics’. Every two years, young Maasai men use their traditional skills to compete across six categories: rungu and javelin throwing, high jump, and 200m, 800m, and 5,000m races. “Several years ago, the Menye Layiok – or Maasai cultural leaders of the new warrior generation - told the Big Life Founders that they wanted to address the traditional cultural aspect of lion killing. Widespread recognition of the value of lion and the fact that lion are far more valuable to communities alive than dead had evolved over time. Maasai leaders wanted to address, and somehow replace, the long-held tradition of hunting lions as mark of manhood, bravery and prestige. And so, an organised sports event - the Maasai Olympics – was born.’’ says Nikki Best, Head of Conservation Education and Reporting. One Maasai warrior and competer said, “In the past, when you became a warrior, you would kill a lion, but we no longer kill lions these days. We grew up being taught about the benefits they bring.” Two-time Olympic gold medallist and 800 metre world record holder David Rudisha, said, ‘We believe this event has brought a lot of changes by transforming these young guys from killing lions to engaging them in sports.’ #WorldLionDay Photo credit: Jeremy Goss / Big Life Foundation

Tusk's partner @lionlandscapes recently developed a programme of 'Lion Extension Officers' (LEOs); community members that have been trained in how to prevent and respond to human-lion conflict. LEOs play a special role; they come from and live in their communities and spend 100% of their time visiting homesteads, helping to find lost livestock, listening closely to the problems communities experience and sharing their in-depth knowledge as they work to protect both the lions and the livelihoods of the people that live alongside them. Across northern Kenya’s Laikipia region there are 18 LEOs – one third of which are women. ‘LEOS are very much Lion Landscapes’ representatives in the field,’ says Dr. Alayne Cotterill, joint CEO of @lionlandscapes. ‘LEOs are co-selected jointly by us and by community leadership; they are respected by their communities and are skilful at communicating important conservation messages. LEOs are trained to help mitigate conflict, collect data and help communities implement practices, such as the development of strong bomas. They are constantly feeding back information ideas and insights to us - so it feels as if we are co-developing our conservation programmes with the communities, rather than developing them in isolation, before implementing. ‘Our LEO programme thus provides a very positive, symbiotic and evolving process of listening, communication and collaboration with the local communities.’ John, a Lion Extension Officer, says, ‘Through our efforts to protect livestock and livelihoods, I'm proud to witness a real change in community attitudes. People are beginning to see lions not just as threats, but as a valuable part of our environment. ‘When livestock is safe, the lions are too.’ #WorldLionDay

Warrior Watch was the brainchild of Samburu man and Tusk Award 2019 Finalist, Jeneria Lekilelei, who saw lions as no more than the nuisance killers of livestock when he first joined @ewasolions conservation organisation in 2008, as a teenager. Warrior Watch now has a team of 8 Samburu warriors, all of whom are engaged in the conservation of the lions. Warriors become 'ambassadors' for lions within their communities, while raising awareness about conservation and advocating for peaceful co-existence with lions and wildlife. As of 2023, ‘Warrior Camps’ have also been convened, which bring together Samburu warriors from different conservancies to learn from each other and share experiences. The results of the warriors’ dedication speak for themselves: when Ewaso Lions was founded in 2008, there were 11 lions in the ecosystem; now there are over 50. “I can’t imagine a world without lions,’ says Jeneria. ‘Lions are a symbol of courage and strength. We need to keep talking about them have them at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Lions are in trouble and we, as a global community, need to do whatever we can to keep them alive.” #WorldLionDay

Moreangels Mbizah, Founder and Executive Director of Tusk’s partner the Wildlife Conservation Action in Zimbabwe, believes fervently in the power of community-led lion conservation. 'Many people are working to stop lions from disappearing,' she says. 'But the communities living with the lions are the ones best positioned to help lions. Local people should be at the forefront of the solutions to the challenges facing their wildlife. They are the people who live alongside them, in the same eco-system.' WCA helps local communities to understand the lion they live alongside through extensive conversations, during which, ‘we acknowledge their difficulties, show empathy and assure them that there are ways to reduce the challenges.’ WCA also provides lion-proof mobile livestock bomas (enclosures) to livestock-owners. The mobile bomas are made of PVC or canvas material, which prevent lion from seeing the livestock inside the boma and therefore attacking them: over the past two years, the bomas have been 100% effective in protecting livestock from lion attacks. #WorldLionDay

The African Lion is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List: it is estimated that only 22,500 remain in the wild today. Threats to lion existence include human-lion conflict, habitat loss and prey depletion. Tusk partners with inspiring projects in Africa that work tirelessly to protect the remaining populations of Panthera Leo. To mark #World Lion Day, we shine a light on some key projects and hear from wildlife conservationists in the field about their innovative methods of protecting the apex predator of the African savanna ... The Salt Pan pride (see photo) is a perfect example of collaborative lion conservation work carried out by Tusk’s partner the Zambian Carnivore Programme (ZCP), which intensively studies 435 lions from 71 prides within a vast 35,000 km2 region. ‘The Salt Pan pride has its share of challenges, but it is still here and thriving on this landscape as evidenced by a pile of new cubs,' says Dr. Matthew Becker, CEO of ZCP. 'We all play a part in lion conservation – working together, rather like a lion pride - by collecting data, de-snaring, anti-poaching and promoting co-existence.' ZCP's team has followed many lions, some from when they were cubs the size of footballs to the size they now: 25 kg male lions, and have have borne witness to their 'daily and nightly dramas.' Being a lion is a tough life, says Dr. Becker: they face ongoing, multiple dangers from snares, retaliatory killings and loss of habitat. 'They are up against such odds just to survive and raise their cubs, but they are resilient animals.' ZCP ensures that its work is as Zambian-led as possible. A good example of this is their 'Women in Wildlife' programme, which provides training for future women lion conservationists in practical field skills: how to monitor and radio-track lions, how to navigate a LandRover off-road or patch a tyre, and how to communicate with communities about human-lion conflict. ‘It was a pretty male-dominated field before, but now the majority of our 70 strong senior team is female,’ says Dr. Becker. ‘They are the leaders of tomorrow: they will carry the torch to help ensure that lions are still on the African landscape long after we are gone.’ #WorldLionDay

As momentum builds for this year’s #WildlifeRangerChallenge, we look forward to seeing how all the Ranger teams get on in the push-up challenge next week. Ahead of race day on 21st September, Ranger teams across Africa are competing in a series of mental and physical challenges, to showcase the physical fitness and mental agility required to be a Ranger. Why not #TrainLikeARanger and take on the Mini Challenges yourself and see how you match up? Sign up and support the Rangers at https://lnkd.in/dHMuURb / via the link in the bio. Check out the Ranger Teams taking part too, and get behind your favourite!