African Wildlife & Environment Issue 74

FAUNA, FLORA & WILDLIFE

The game rangers play a pivotal part in securing protected areas. The involvement and masterminds behind the crime syndicates that are driving the illegal killing and illicit trafficking in wildlife has highlighted the increased risks and challenges that the modern day game ranger has to face. In the past couple of years there have been hundreds of rangers that have lost their lives in the line of duty. Wayne Lotter, an ex KNP colleague, was murdered in Tanzania, and this just highlights the dangers that all rangers have to face when dealing with criminals and unscrupulous elements.

our efforts to fight this scourge. Please support the Greater Kruger Area and your environmental NGOs. Do not blindly commit money to any anti-rhino poaching fundraising schemes, but make sure they are legitimate and reputable. Spare a thought for our game rangers on World Ranger Day and remember that without their ongoing protection of our wild places, they will just be places, open for all the wrong kinds of exploitation. There needs to be a balance between development and protected areas so that the ecosystem services can be maintained for the benefit of all. Let us salute the men and woman who

Apart from the human threat, many rangers also lost their lives when they were killed by the very animals they are sworn to protect. One of the bitterest pills to swallow as a game ranger is when your own colleagues are implicated in rhino poaching or other illegal activities. The temptation of large sums of money promised by crime syndicates is often too much to resist, and they get drawn into the whirlpool of corruption, undermining everything their dedicated ranger colleagues are trying to uphold. Now, as the warden of a large private nature reserve directly adjoining the KNP, I am exposed to the poaching and other challenges facing my neighbours daily. I can only plead with everyone who stills loves the wild open places, to support us in

have dedicated their lives to protect what we all love and recognise that these game rangers form the thin green line between sustainable long-term growth and possible extinction.

Bryan Havemann Warden of the Umbabat Private Nature Reserve warden@umbabat.com

25 | African Wildlife & Environment | Issue 74 (2019)