Transfrontier Africa - Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023
Transfrontier Africa is taking on the Wildlife Ranger Challenge to raise awareness of the vital role our 42 rangers play in protecting South Africa's Olifants West Nature Reserve, and supporting an estimated 154 livelihoods.
My story
Rangers are Africaโs unsung heroes. They hold diverse roles as conservationists, teachers, community support workers, leaders and much more.
The Wildlife Ranger Challenge, organised by Tusk, is a celebration of solidarity, connection and camaraderie for the ranger profession. Culminating on 16th September 2023, the campaign raises vital funds for Africa's biodiversity guardians.
Transfrontier Africa - Olifants West Nature Reserve started The Black Mambas All Women Anti-Poaching Unit in 2013 and this year we are celebrating 10 years of operation in our protected areas as a fully formed, officially recognized and registered unit.
The Black Mambas rangers tackle Illegal Wildlife Trade and Poaching holistically: non-violent approach and education of communities. The rangers conduct patrols, remove snares from the bush to prevent bushmeat poaching, do observation posts, inspect contractors buildings, do roadblocks to prevent IWT, and work at the rural schools and our own resource centre in Maseke as educators and mentors for the local children and Bush Grannies.
The WRC grants we have received helped us in paying our rangers and community officers salaries, inspired us to train some of our rangers as Ranger Fitness Instructors and helped our rangers see themselves as part of the Global Ranger Community.
Our participation in WRC 2023 will definitely help us build new relationships with our colleagues across Africa, and if the application for the grant is successful, we will use the grant to pay salaries again.
Give today and the Scheinberg Relief Fund will match every dollar donated, amplifying your impact.
Join us in speaking up #ForWildlifeRangers
Activity Totals
6.00 km coveredWe are in top 3 among women!!!
Sep 27, 2023, 3:03:16 PM#WildlifeRangerChallenge 2023 ๐ฅThe great news from The Challenge: our BOTH teams are in the top 3 winners of the race among women's ranger teams! Congratulations to women ranger teams Atsikana from South Luangwa National Park and Frankfurt Zoological Society Nsumbu National Park for coming 1st an 2nd. What a great achievement, ladies! ๐ฅThis year it took us 03 hrs 36 min 49 sec to complete 21 km in combat boots, full uniform and 10 kg rucks. Honestly, this is one of the most fulfilling things we have ever done to support our own work and the work of our colleagues rangers across Africa. And we are very grateful to Tusk , Game Rangers Association of Africa and the partners for giving us all this great opportunity. ๐ฅHow did we feel the next day, you ask? Sore, we felt like we did the workout of our lifetime in 3 hours! And we felt happy that we did it together to support our colleagues across the continent. ๐ฅThe challenge is about raising profiles of the rangers in Africa and globally, supporting our work on the ground, and building the global network of rangers whose boots on the ground and skills are critical to preserve the biodiversity on our planet. ๐ฅWe are already looking forward to the WRC 2024.
Team 1 at Southern African Wildlife College
Sep 27, 2023, 2:58:32 PMTeam 1 ran at Southern African Wildlife College together with other colleagues from the College, Sabi Sands and Game Ranger Association of Africa. It was fun! Well, before it became fun, they had to overcome heat of 42 degrees Celsius, and THEN, everybody was applauding them. The final line was fun: after the challenge the whole community of rangers represented at SAWC were dancing, and somebody still had energy to do push ups! Heroes.
Your support will be amplified and increased by 25%!
Sep 21, 2023, 4:52:23 PMDid you know that the total amount of the raised funds on Tusk platform thanks to your contributions, will be matched by 25%? That will make a huge difference in our lives. Thank you for your support.
News from Wildlife College
Sep 21, 2023, 2:46:26 PMTeam 1 at Wildlife Ranger College, networking and building camaraderie, and running #ForWildlifeRangers in 42 degrees Celsius!
Team 1 is running at a regional Challenge this year!
Sep 13, 2023, 5:54:14 PMThis year rangers from regions can join their forces and run together. We have been invited to run together with Southern African Wildlife College, Game Rangers Association of Africa and Sabi Sands Game Reserve teams at SAWC on the 16th of September. The Black Mambas have been training a lot, and only 4 rangers could be selected to represent Transfrontier Africa and Olifants West Nature Reserve at the regional Challenge. Here are the tough cookies: Debra Mukanzi, Nkatkeo Mzimba, Bongane Nkwinika and Johnson Ndlovu. Nkateko is going to be the captain of the team. Debra is our ranger from 2019 intake, Bongane is part of Crime Prevention Unit trained in 2022, and Johnson is our armed response. Nkateko is already at the College, undertaking her Braveheart Ranger Leadership course, and the rest of the team are going to join her on the 15th of September. Thank you for your support!
Meet Nurse
Sep 13, 2023, 6:24:18 AM๐๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐. Nurse is part of The Black Mambas Crime Prevention Unit. Since she has been trained and deployed, Nurse has been playing the role of a breadwinner in her family and currently is supporting 6 people in the household. Her advice for women who want to become wildlife rangers: "๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ฌ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ , ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ง๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐".
Meet Rethabile
Sep 13, 2023, 6:23:29 AM๐๐๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐. Rethabile is also one of the Crime Prevention Unit rangers. She was trained and deployed in 2022 to assist the new team with tackling wildlife crime hot spots. Snare hot spots are under CPU's team constant surveillance and monitoring. Rethabile has 3 dependants back at home whom she supports. "๐๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ข๐๐๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ, ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐. ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ข๐ญ, ๐ ๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐".
Help us to make bigger difference for wildlife and communities!
Sep 11, 2023, 4:42:03 PM๐๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ . Wildlife rangers have various names and work title (wildlife guardians, nature protectors, scouts, etc), and their roles and responsibilities have been diversifying tremendously. Today, not only do the rangers patrol the protected areas and remove snares, but work as wildlife monitors, data managers, K9 trackers, media liaisons, ranger fitness instructors, managers, community liaisons, educators. Yet, ranger profession has still not been recognised as a highly skilled profession and is hugely underfunded globally, On the 16th of September our teams are uniting and joining other teams in Africa with one goal: raise funds for rangers in Africa, and raise the professional profile of wildlife ranger industry. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฌ? 1. Rangers will be paid for the dangerous work they are doing 2. They families will be taken care of; 3. Their kids can continue school education 4. More rangers, including women can be recruited and trained as rangers ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ? 1.Ecosystems of protected area will be guarded; 2. Endangered and vulnerable species will be better taken care of; 3. Protected areas and people working/residing there will be safe; 4. We can increase the chances of meeting our 30x30 global goal, where through recruiting more rangers we can finally protect 30% of our planet by the year 2030. Thank you! By supporting us you are becoming part of our mission.
Meet Charity, Co-Captain of CPU team
Sep 11, 2023, 3:49:17 PM๐๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ Charity was trained and deployed in October 2022 to become one of the members of our new Crime Prevention Unit (CPU). For the upcoming Wildlife Ranger Challenge, Charity is going to be the co-captain of the team. Before Charity became The Black Mamba anti-poaching ranger, she had played soccer at school and her spare time, so the challenges of the physical training are never really challenges for Charity! Also, we have never seen a ranger who would go through obstacle course as fast as Charity! While Charity enjoys her work and all its aspects, her favourite activity in the field is snare sweeping. Charity is the only bread winner in her family: "๐๐ฒ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐". Support our rangers for this #WildlifeRangerChallenge! This is a fantastic initiative empowered by Tusk for rangers to raise funds for rangers and spread the word about the critical work we do for our protected areas in Africa.
Meet Everjoy, Captain of CPU team
Sep 11, 2023, 3:47:47 PM#WildlifeRangerChallenge 2023 ๐๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ, the Captain of CPU team Everjoy is The Black Mamba ranger, and for the last decade working with us, she has been trained as K9 handler, Pangolin Guardian. Everjoy is also working as ranger fitness instructor for her team. As a K9 handler, Everjoy and some of her colleagues had worked at Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre to protect the orphaned rhinos until the day they were released back into the wild. Everjoy is going to lead her team as a Captain during the 21 km race on the 16th of September. Photo: Abby Kemp
Meet our teams: Crime Prevention Unit
Sep 8, 2023, 10:37:40 AMLet us introduce the teams that will be racing for 21 km on the 16th of September. Crime Prevention Unit. The ladies were trained and deployed at the end of 2022 with a specific purpose: to tackle wildlife crime hot spots: snares, contractors compounds, stop road blocks in the reserve. Camera traps and working with data bases is the next step for this newly trained team. 4 members of CPU team are going to run 21 km for Olifants West Nature Reserve with 10 kg backpacks in a weeks time! Since the purpose of the fundraiser is to secure salaries of the rangers across Africa, your support will mean the salaries of CPU team and top ups for special achievements will be covered for the year 2024. Thank you!
Test run in preparation for the Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2o23
Sep 5, 2023, 3:02:00 PM๐๐ฐ๐จ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐! We are getting ready, practicing with the backpacks. On the race day women rangers will be carrying 10 kg, and men rangers - 22 kg. Sergeant Nkateko Mzimba is leading the session as PT instructor and also the captain of Team 1 that has been invited to race together with other teams at Southern African Wildlife College. Wildlife Ranger Challenge is a global multimillion dollar fundraising event that aims to help wildlife rangers in Africa. ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐๐ญ๐๐ค๐จ'๐ฌ ๐ญ๐๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ๐๐๐ฒ!! Stay tuned for more updates! Huge thanks to Tusk, Game Rangers Association of Africa , International Ranger Federation ,Natural State, The Thin Green Line Foundation, Scheinberg Relief Fund and other partners.
Warm up sessions before the 2,18 km run
Jul 13, 2023, 10:59:41 AMEvery week we do the PT test to see our progress. Each session includes a warm up before the run, then push ups, sit ups, burpees and finally squats.
Our new generation of wildlife protectors are taking the Quiz today!
Jun 11, 2023, 12:10:52 PMTeam 4 has done well today. Now, waiting for the results to be announced on the 13th June! Good luck to all our colleagues! You can do it.
This year the questions are tricky! We have accepted the challenge and learnt a great deal of new stuff!
Jun 11, 2023, 8:59:49 AMIt is amazing how the challenge has evolved over the years and questions have become more complicated, including wildlife, ranger knowledge, ranger organizations and even ranger fitness! Thank you for your support! Rangers need you.
Wildlife Ranger Quiz!
Jun 11, 2023, 8:55:21 AMOur new Crime Prevention Unit ladies team is wishing all the rangers across Africa the best of luck for the Quiz! You are going to nail it!!
Ready for the 2023 Wildlife Ranger Challenge!
May 21, 2023, 8:28:15 AMIt is our 4th year with Tusk and The WRC and we are looking forward to challenging ourselves again, and support our fellow rangers across Africa. Go Mambas!
Support a unique conservation initiative empowering and uniting wildlife rangers across Africa.
May 2, 2023, 9:44:02 AMWildlife rangers operate on the very frontline of conservation across Africa, routinely making personal sacrifices to put their lives on the line to protect the continentโs magnificent wildlife and habitats. Yet they are so much more than just law enforcement officers: rangers are teachers, community support workers, mediators, researchers and so much more. Unfortunately, resources are not keeping pace with the scale of the challenges they are trying to tackle. For the fourth year running, the Wildlife Ranger Challenge sets out to redress this, by raising 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.
