Anti-Poaching Units: Guardians Of Our Wildlife

This week I've dedicated these pages to speak out on everything poaching and everything anti-poaching. Maybe not everything yet...one thing remains...one thing of absolute importance to the fight against poaching...the anti-poaching unit! There is no anti-poaching ranger without a unit as there is no anti-poaching unit without a ranger. These men and women cannot fight singly...they need partners...and their partners need partners. That's why there's a unit. Battles like these are not a one man show, so to speak.

Anti-poaching units are established under law enforcement as a tool for protecting wildlife within
designated areas. Units are usually broken into patrols each with a patrol leader. Unit sizes usually depend on the designated area of responsibility, the threats within that area and resources. Not for the faint-hearted, the duties of a ranger include but is not limited to; patrolling a designated area, maintaining assertiveness against all poaching activities, arresting and apprehending poachers, removal of snares, rescuing trapped or injured wildlife and reporting wildlife movements.

There being a big number of wildlife lost in the wild and limited man power, these units work effortlessly stretching their limits for the protection of these animals. In the world of elephants, these men and women are heroes. Let me introduce you to two of these units:

1. Pro-Track Anti-Poaching Unit, South Africa
As their name suggests, these guys are 'pros' when it comes to everything anti-poaching. Established in 1992 as a first ever private unit, it has built a name for itself in the world of anti-poaching. Rangers joining this unit are required to undergo a four week training course that has been polished over the years by experienced professionals. As part of the curriculum, these men and women are required to complete courses in anti-poaching, security, first aid/ fire fighting, weapons and snake handling training. If successfully completed, the ranger is recruited and begins work! With physical capability and the heart of a lion (no pun intended whatsoever), these men and women are required to have the ability to perform their duties under immense pressure while maintaining team spirit!

Pro-Track's patrol teams include two members; a team leader and a scout. Armed with a firearm, they are deployed for 16 days and replaced with a fresh team upon completion. They perform duties such as patrols, removal of snares, marking way points and record game sightings. They work with GPS and radio back to reaction teams for assistance, all in a day's work!

2. Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit, Zimbabwe

VFAPU as commonly known, was established in 1999 by Charles Brightman, a professional guide, local safari operator and conservationist together with Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. This unit works in conjunction with the Zimbabwe National Parks, Wildlife Management Authority and the Zimbabwe Police to carry out anti-poaching duties. It has employed 18 full time scouts patrolling 50 square kilometers around the Falls. With duties focused on removal of snares and apprehension of poachers, they seek to do away with this act of terror! VFAPU among other things, is also focused on the education of locals in the benefits of conserving natural resources.

Faced with the challenge of growing the odds of conservation in a country devoid of socio-economic stability, VFAPU have sought to rise the wildlife industry from the ashes and forge on, all in belief that their work is not in vain!

These two units are just but a small representation of various organisations running anti-poaching units within a larger framework. These two are but testimony to what the wildlife industry is all about, the wildlife. Despite their numbers or sizes of their pockets, they are before the elephant's eyes, guardian angels :)