Rangers on the Ground
The 2021 first quarter reports from Zambia are in! Nsefu Wildlife Conservation Foundation (NWCF) in conjunction with the South Luangwa Area Management Unit (SLAMU) have been working hard around the clock to keep the animals and people safe in the Nsefu sector! Initial numbers show that out of 5 camps, ours is second only to one in the number of patrols conducted, distances covered during patrols, and the days on patrol. While we may not be first this quarter in 2021, in all of 2020 Nsefu’s rangers consistently went on more patrols, patrolled for longer, and showed the kind of dedication and professionalism that makes NWCF such a powerhouse in the region, and we couldn’t be prouder of them. All of this while other groups dissolved their ranger programs due to lack of funding, we managed to squeak by on a shoestring budget and keep all of our Zambia staff fully funded and working. All of this made possible by you, our valued partners.
“Well, that’s great and all” you might say, “but what have you actually *done* this whole time?” Well, I’m glad you asked that, because despite the increase in poaching activity from 2019-2020 (almost a 500% increase during the height of the pandemic) Nsefu and SLAMU have managed to keep the number of successful poaching attempts low even reducing them in some areas. Our rangers and team members on the ground have reported an increase in gunshots heard at night, however due to swift action in reporting we are typically able to drive the perpetrators off before they can cause any lasting harm.
For operational security (OPSEC) reasons we cannot go into specific details of these events, however during this first quarter we have confiscated one illegal firearm, and there has only been a single confirmed elephant killed by poachers with two water buffalo killed in separate incidents. Despite the tragic death of the elephant, we were able to arrive on site quickly enough to where we were able to recover the ivory so it can be destroyed. So overall the poachers still went home empty handed, however one death is one death too many in our book! As for the water buffalo, it is unclear whether these were killed for bushmeat or for other purposes. Regardless of why, it unacceptable that these things should happen at all, and it is our dream of a Nsefu sector where we don’t ever have to hear of tragedies like this again!
To this end, we continue to work and strive to create a safer world for wildlife despite the struggles of a post pandemic world. However, we cannot do anything without the support of you our treasured allies in the war on poaching. Your contributions are the lifeblood to these efforts and are solely responsible for all of the lives saved both human and non-human alike within the Nsefu sector, and we cannot thank you enough for what you do for them. Your generosity and kindness are the literal difference between life and death for many people and animals and we are both proud and honored by your dedication and faith in our organization to get things done. We will not let you down, and we will continue this fight until this fight is won. That is our solemn oath to you, our heroes of the Nsefu sector. Thank you.
-NSEFU WILDLIFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
