Rangers Protecting Nature, One Radio at a Time!
The Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area in southern Africa is a vast savannah ecosystem that extends across the borders of Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa. It is a haven for elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, and antelope. It’s also an area rich in opportunity for poachers.
The rangers in Zimbabwe contacted us recently, requesting equipment for their anti-poaching patrols. With limited cell service in their patrol area, rangers had no effective way of communicating with each other or with their conservation partners across the border. A lack of funding set a very real barrier between these committed rangers and the most basic equipment they needed to work safely and effectively. Their request was simple: “We need 2-way radios!”.
Thanks to generous support of the Thin Green Line community, we were able to respond to this call for help, providing funding for 2-way radios, raincoats for patrols during the rainy season, tents for multi-day patrols, and new uniforms to replace their worn-out clothing. Since receiving the radios, rangers have been able to communicate with each other and with rangers across the broader landscape, reporting poaching activity in real time. They’ve also received a huge boost to their morale, knowing that the worldwide Thin Green Line community care about their welfare and see the value in their hard work. With their new equipment in use they have reported that their very presence in poaching hotspots is acting as a deterrent. They’ve also managed to immediately locate and remove more than 50 snares and traps that would have otherwise killed or maimed precious wildlife. The area’s population of kudu, impala, eland, zebra, giraffe, elephant, lion, and leopard are well protected thanks to these dedicated rangers.
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