$4,000 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation (the second of three installments) was awarded to the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forests and Tourism for the expansion and operating costs of the Conservancy Rhino Ranger Program (CRRP) in Nyae Nyae Conservancy.

$1,000 from The Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation was allocated to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa, to help pay for thermal-imaging binoculars and an Infrared pointer, to be used from a helicopter during emergency responses.

Another $1,000 from The Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation was allocated to uMkhuze Game Reserve in South Africa, to help pay for 5kVa lithium-ion batteries for ranger camps @ ZAR 35,000 each plus ZAR 10,000 for installation. This is a critical need for the continued supply of power to remote field ranger camps, where the system was upgraded from an old, and now redundant, two-battery system to a state-of-the-art solar system that allows camps to run more efficiently on solar power and replace expensive LP gas systems. The initial system opted for the supply of 8 x 105 Ah deep-cycle batteries, since the lithium-ion batteries were too expensive for the funder at the time. However, these deep-cycle battery systems have a limited lifecycle of c. three years depending on the number of cycles, and they now need replacing. The proposed lithium-ion batteries are more expensive but have more capacity and a guarantee of 10 years, making them far more cost effective.

$10,000 from March to the Top and $400 from Ken Hooker were awarded to the ForRangers initiative, which in turn prioritizes ranger welfare (as described in January 2022).

$4,000 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation was awarded to the Namibian Ministry of Environment, Forests and Tourism; the first part of a $12,000 grant. MEFT in turn allocated this to the expansion and operating costs of the Conservancy Rhino Ranger Program (CRRP) in Nyae Nyae Conservancy during 2022. The Nyae Nyae Conservancy in northeastern Namibia is the first and only community-owned Conservancy in the country to have populations of both black and white rhinos. White rhinos were introduced in March 2021 with the translocation of two males and two females. The Conservancy offers ideal habitat conditions with a mixture of woodlands, hills, and flat landscape. It has provided black rhinos the opportunity to thrive and multiply, and holds lions, buffalos, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, and elephants. Specifically, this includes the purchase of 15 camera traps and their protective cases, which will allow the rangers to obtain information on poaching hot-spot areas and ensure patrols can be deployed urgently to protect rhinos. Funds will also allow the acquisition of five pairs of binoculars, five GPS devices and five digital cameras. In addition, the necessary equipment to introduce SMART, such as Blackview devices will be purchased.

Another $4,000 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation was awarded to pay for satellite phones and radio telecommunications for the operational needs of the patrol teams in Gunung Leuser National Park in northern Sumatra.

$10,000 from EJF Philanthropies (Kindy French) was allocated to Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia, to pay for: camping equipment for Nyae Nyae Conservancy’s rangers (five bedrolls and tents); a contribution to borehole drilling for the new mounted unit’s camp; a traditional authority exposure trip to see rhinos in the Kunene Region; Eroku security operations; and upgrades at Maigoha! Camp

$7,500 was donated in honor of Sam Taylor’s participation in the 2022 Gaucho Derby, to raise funds for the ForRangers initiative, which in turn prioritizes ranger welfare (as described in January 2022).

$4,000 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation was awarded to pay for satellite phones and radio telecommunications for the operational needs of the patrol teams in Gunung Leuser National Park in northern Sumatra.

$65,300 from Ardea Cares was sent to help cover the Y1 (2022) costs of a new conservation education program at Borana, “Connecting Conservancies and Communities Project (CCCP): Securing the future of black rhino conservation in Laikipia, Kenya”. This Project proposes an expansion of the existing Borana Education Support Program to address the unsustainable utilization of natural resources in the Ewaso Nyiro ecosystem. The CCCP will engage with Borana’s neighbors to broaden, deepen and inspire their understanding of conservation and its importance for the health of all those, human, faunal and floral, in the landscape. Specifically, the funds will be allocated as follows: $33,000 towards the purchase & conversion of a bus, and then for Y1 fuel and maintenance; $32,000 for the construction of a classroom and kitting it out; and $300 for stationery supplies.

$2,000 from Francis & Sandi Blake, in memory of Tony and Rose Dyer, was also donated to Borana Conservancy for its Mobile Health Clinic, that serves the communities and villages surrounding Borana.

$500 from Christina Lui was allocated Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia, to pay for upgrades to Maigoha! camp

$13 was donated in honor of Sam Taylor’s Gaucho Derby, to raise funds for the ForRangers initiative, which in turn prioritizes ranger welfare: medical and life insurance; uniforms and well-being; equipment, improved living standards, training, and emergency needs (e.g. rations during Covid-19 lockdowns that so damaged tourism income).

$44,231 from Ardea Cares was awarded for a project entitled “Security equipment to support uMkhuze’s law-enforcement operations”. uMkhuze aims to build up its technological law-enforcement capability, to act as a force-multiplier for its hard-pressed rangers. Specifically, the grant will help pay for 2 x repeater back-up systems for the Victron 3kVa systems, a Kestrel Dual Stream Optical software for the Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) Remote Monitoring System, FLIR PT 606 HD Camera, and an interactive 65″ screen.

$4,000.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation was awarded to the Rhino Protection Unit program in Indonesia; two further installments are expected. The total $12,000 will be used to pay for camera traps in Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, to help identify candidate animals for capture and translocation to one of the conservation breeding centers in Indonesia.

$10,000.00 from Lou DeLisser for general conservancy running costs on Borana Conservancy in Laikipia County, Kenya. Borana and neighboring Lewa Wildlife Conservancy are home to Key 1 populations of both black and white rhino.

$439,535.53 from the Wildcat Foundation for the North Luangwa Conservation Program in Zambia. This installment of the 2.5 year grant was to help pay for law-enforcement equipment and anti-poaching operations, ranger salaries, bonuses and incentives, specialist and in-service training and vehicle running costs for North Luangwa National Park’s rangers, and towards a new airplane engine for aerial surveillance

$48,250.00 from our core funds was awarded to Borana Conservancy, towards the Y1 costs of a new conservation education program at Borana, “Connecting Conservancies and Communities Project (CCCP): Securing the future of black rhino conservation in Laikipia, Kenya”. This Project proposes an expansion of the existing Borana Education Support Program to address the unsustainable utilization of natural resources in the Ewaso Nyiro ecosystem. The CCCP will engage with Borana’s neighbors to broaden, deepen and inspire their understanding of conservation and its importance for the health of all those, human, faunal and floral, in the landscape. Specifically, the funds will pay for the recruitment and salaries of two new conservation education officers, monoculars and game-viewing guides; and to help cover the purchase and conversion of a bus to bring groups into the Conservancy.

$12,000.00 was awarded from our core funds to uMkhuze Game Reserve in South Africa, for a project “Security equipment to support uMkhuze’s law-enforcement operations”. uMkhuze aims to build up its technological law-enforcement capability, to act as a force-multiplier for its hard-pressed rangers. Specifically, the grant will help pay for two repeater back-up systems for the Victron 3kVa systems, a Kestrel Dual Stream Optical software for the Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) Remote Monitoring System, FLIR PT 606 HD Camera, and an interactive 65″ screen.

Finally, $50,680.00 from our core funds was awarded to the North Luangwa Conservation Program in Zambia, for a project entitled “Breaking barriers to create female participation in natural resource management”. This project seeks to increase female representation in the wildlife protection sector in North Luangwa by focusing on: Leadership training for 40 female community scouts ($20,000); Gender-bias and barrier soft-skill training for 400 wildlife protection officers ($20,000); 80 spousal visits to the field program to increase local understanding of spouses’ work ($2,000); and Essential products to cater to 140 women’s needs in the field ($8,680).

$10,000.00 from Tom and Molly Bedell was sent to Borana Conservancy to help pay for rhino monitoring and Conservancy running costs. One of Borana’s black rhinos, Kai Suen, has been named in honour of their son, Ren Suen Bedasbad.

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation (the third of three installments) was allocated to the reafforestation project around the western boundary of Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia.

$150.00 was sent to the For Rangers initiative in Kenya, in recognition of the four women who took part in the Wild Women Ultra in September 2021.

$50,012.00 from WildAid, the second such grant in 2021, was sent to Kenya to the seven Members of the Association of Private Land Rhino Sanctuaries for the continuing Core Critical Operations Costs Appeal. It will be split between the Members as follows, based on their sizes of their rhino populations: $13,843 to Ol Pejeta Conservancy; $13,546 to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy; $8,336 to Ol Jogi Conservancy; $3,275 to Borana Conservancy; $2,000 to Sera Wildlife Conservancy; $2,000 to Il Ngwesi Community Conservancy; and $2,000 to Big Life Foundation; all for rhino monitors’ salaries. The final $5,000 will be sent to the APLRS to formalize and update its legal status.

$25,000.00 raised by the For Rangers’ initiative to Borana Conservancy in Kenya, to help cover the cost of a new 8-room accommodation block for rangers based at Borana’s HQ (the rest is being covered by the Anna Merz Rhino Trust); and $11,888 to pay for a fence around the football pitch to keep animals out, a new murramed basketball court, a roof over the High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) gym, and some HIIT training by a local firm based in Nanyuki, to improve the rangers’ fitness and strength and help improve morale within the team.

$25,000.00 raised by the For Rangers’ initiative to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, split between equipment for the Anti-Poaching Unit (tracksuits, trainers, sleeping bags, bedrolls and mosquito nets, as well as 15 solar panels to charge radios); and equipment for general security rangers (tracksuits, trainers, sleeping bags, bedrolls and mosquito nets, a solar-power installation at an outpost, and 30 x lockable storage boxes).

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation (the second of three installments) was allocated to the reafforestation project around the western boundary of Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia.

$43,000.00 from the Woodtiger Fund was allocated to Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism for its annual rhino translocation budgets. This was the second part of a 2-year grant that totaled $100,000. Year 2 funding will be used to pay for staff rations while in the field, for items of equipment used in the field (e.g. circular saw blades), and for tires, fuel and maintenance for the Rhino Recovery (veterinary) Vehicle and the 6×6 trucks used to translocate rhinos.

$250,705.00 was sent to the For Rangers initiative in Kenya. $250,000.00 of this came from an anonymous individual, who had taken part in a fundraising event organized by For Rangers; the other $705.00 was raised by Sam Taylor, one of For Rangers’ founders, who will be taking part in the Gaucho Derby in March 2022 in Patagonia.

$500.00 was donated by Christina Lui for Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia. This will be used to help pay for rations for Save the Rhino Trust’s own trackers and for the Rhino Rangers from community conservancies on which the Kunene Region’s population of desert-adapted black rhinos are found.

$5,000 (the second of a 2-part grant totaling $10,000 from WildArk) went to Borana Conservancy in Laikipia County, Kenya, to help pay for a new environmental education bus (see July grants.)

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation (the first of three instalments) was allocated to the reafforestation project around the western boundary of Way Kambas National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia. While Way Kambas is one of the last remaining viable habitats for the Sumatran rhino – illegal logging, farming and hunting have already destroyed one-third of its rainforest habitat. To boost the number of Sumatran rhinos, it’s essential that we increase breeding efforts, but in the long-term, we must also secure places for these rhinos to go. Restoring previously degraded habitat is often the best approach. This project pays local farmers grow the new seedlings to replant the site, and people from nearby villages are hired to plant seedlings, maintain the area, and later harvest browse from mature trees to feed rhinos at the nearby Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary. Around the edge of the forest, bordering the village, local people can plant fruit trees that they can later harvest for themselves or to sell. At each site, the project hires staff to manage the program, assigns rangers to guard the sites, builds small wooden guard posts, and digs deep wells to provide water for the nursery and the growing seedlings. They also install water pumps and water tanks, and dig fire breaks around the sites to prevent forest fires from spreading.

$705.00 was sent to the For Rangers initiative in Kenya, raised by Sam Taylor, one of For Rangers’ founders, who will be taking part in the Gaucho Derby in March 2022 in Patagonia.

$30,000 received from the Holtzman Wildlife Foundation, the second instalment of a 2-year grant totaling $60,000) was sent to Borana Conservancy in Kenya for the water reticulation project, which aims to expand the area used by Borana’s growing black rhino population. The provision of additional water sources has already resulted in rhinos moving into areas that were previously under-utilized.

$5,000 from The Taliaferro Family Fund went to Borana Conservancy in Kenya to help pay for ongoing operating costs.

$27,000.00 was awarded from core funds to Wildlife Crime Prevention, a non-profit based in Zambia, to pay for investigations into traffickers operating between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, which will enable government agencies to conduct successful law-enforcement operations in order to disrupt key trade routes, deter traffickers and reduce local demand.

$13,500.00 was awarded from core funds to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa, to cover the cost of the rhino monitor’s salary and vehicle running costs during the calendar year 2022. The rhino monitor’s collection and analysis of rhino-sighting data will enable the Park management to analyze the performance of the black and white rhino populations.

$77,000.00 was awarded by the Woodtiger Fund to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in South Africa. $17,711 of this was allocated to basic vehicle and infrastructure maintenance, including the purchase of new vehicle ties. $42,239 was to buy a new Massey Ferguson tractor for road and fence-line maintenance in the Park. And the remaining $17,050 was allocated for annual black rhino ear-notching operations, scheduled for October 2021. Ear-notching increases the rhino monitor’s ability to ID individual animals and build the demographic database to analyze population performance.

$16,000.00 was awarded from core funds to help pay the part-time salary of the new position of Program Officer for the IUCN SSC African Rhino Specialist Group. Keitumetse Mosweu (known as Kate) took up her role in mid-September 2021 and works closely with the Chair, Dr Mike Knight, and Scientific Officer, Dr Sam Ferreira, to support the Group’s coordination work.

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation to Ol Jogi Conservancy in Kenya. This was the third of three instalments of a grant for Ol Jogi that will pay for the construction of two rangers’ houses (see June grants).

$113.87 was sent to the For Rangers initiative in Kenya, raised by Sam Taylor, one of For Rangers’ founders, who will be taking part in the Gaucho Derby in March 2022 in Patagonia.

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation to Ol Jogi Conservancy in Kenya. This was the second of three instalments of a grant for Ol Jogi that will pay for the construction of two rangers’ houses (see June grants).

$46.25 received in restricted donations was allocated to the For Rangers initiative in Kenya.

$5,000 (the first of a 2-part grant totaling $10,000 from WildArk) went to Borana Conservancy in Laikipia County, Kenya, to help pay for a new environmental education bus. Borana has run the Borana Education Support Program for many years now, which helps pay for student bursaries and teacher salaries; the ambition is to be able to bring community groups onto the Conservancy itself and introduce them to the wildlife conservation efforts and livestock-to-market program first-hand. Borana has completed a survey to look at the social impact of protected areas in order to better understand how the Conservancy’s activities affect those of its neighbors.

$150,000.00 from an anonymous donor, who has given previously, was awarded to the For Rangers initiative, for onwards granting to beneficiary field programs. For Rangers’ priority is ranger welfare, and grants support medical care and life insurance, uniforms, physical and mental wellbeing, and equipment. To a lesser extent, grants may also be used to improve living standards for rangers while on site, pay for training, and to respond to emergency needs. For Rangers has just paid for renewal of a life-insurance policy for 1,300 rangers in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria; the ultimate aim is to cover 2,000 rangers in sub-Saharan Africa.

$962.70 from James Lewin Photography was allocated to Borana Conservancy in Kenya, to help cover general conservancy operating costs. The Covid-19 pandemic has reduced international tourism to almost zero, meaning that private, community and state parks and conservancies alike are more reliant on philanthropy than usual.

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation to Ol Jogi Conservancy in Kenya. This was the first of three instalments of a grant for Ol Jogi that will pay for the construction of two rangers’ houses. Back in 2019, Ol Jogi embarked on renovating and constructing new ranger accommodation. Initially, the Conservation Manager, Jamie Gaymer, had intended to renovate rangers’ stations’ roofs, as many were leaking. However, on further inspection, Ol Jogi’s Conservation Manager and Workshop Manager identified that many of the houses were actually structurally damaged. Most of the rangers’ houses had been built in the 1980s, comprised of a combination of local sand and cement with thatched roofs, and were in danger of becoming completely uninhabitable. There was little point putting a new roof on houses that might collapse and were otherwise sub-standard. It was therefore decided to build new houses. Those already completed have proven to be a great success. The houses include a kitchen and shower facility, as well as a new ablution block with a septic tank and soak pit. (Previously, rangers’ stations had long-drops, which were neither sustainable nor ecologically friendly.) The houses have been fitted with lights and electrical sockets, running off solar power and batteries. All of these improvements have had a huge positive impact for rangers, who previously had to endure leaking, structurally damaged stations. They now have dry, safe places to properly relax and rest, so they can go out on their next patrol refreshed and ready to face the challenges their work may present.

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) in the UK. This was the third of three installments for a 3-year project entitled “Strengthening legal and policy frameworks in China” (see March 2021 for more details).

$3,500.00 from an anonymous donor went to Save the Rhino Trust in Namibia, to help cover the work of SRT’s Wildlife Crime Coordinator, who works closely with colleagues in other agencies to gather and analyze intelligence from informers

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) in the UK. This was the second of three installments for a 3-year project entitled “Strengthening legal and policy frameworks in China”. The EIA will advocate for the adoption of a new State Council order and/or amendments to China’s wildlife laws; to encourage and amplify diverse voices calling for an end to trade in threatened wildlife; and to undertake research and produce analysis to support policy recommendations.

$1,000.00 from Heidi and David Welch for the For Rangers initiative, for the Masai Mara Wildlife Conservancies Association, in response to the 2020 MARAthon held as a fundraiser.

$30,000.00 from the Sidekick Foundation for the For Rangers initiative, to help pay for the management of a new organization, ANI Partners Ltd, that will coordinate the management of Lolldaiga and Ole Naishu Conservancies, and more dynamic conservation-development-focused cooperation with key neighboring properties including Mukugodo Forest, Il Ngwesi Community Conservancy and Makurian Group Ranch.

$5,666.00 from the Bernard F. and Alva B. Gimbel Foundation was awarded to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The funds will be used to help pay for vehicle tires, vehicle maintenance, ranger accommodation and ablution blocks repairs, small tools and equipment etc.

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) in the UK. This was the first of three installments for a 3-year project; see April 2021 for more details.

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation to help cover the costs of the Rhino Protection Unit (RPU) program in Ujung Kulon NP, Java. This was the third of three installments totaling $10,500. Today, there are 74 Javan rhinos, living in one population in Ujung Kulon National Park, and fewer than 80 Sumatran rhinos, scattered between a number of forest locations in Sumatra. It is only thanks to the dedication of the RPUs that these rhinos survive today, that their numbers are protected and their populations can begin to grow. Each RPU consists of four highly motivated and trained local rangers, who patrol the rhino areas in order to destroy snares and traps, apprehend poachers, and act as a deterrent to those who might consider undertaking wildlife crime. They can also use intelligence operations to proactively stop poaching attempts, in cooperation with the police. This type of patrolling is necessarily funded by external parties as the authorities managing the parks cannot afford such intensive patrolling efforts. Any rhino poaching incidents – with population numbers so low – could be devastating to conservation efforts and the future of the two species. The funding for RPUs supported salaries and benefits as well as operations, transportation, equipment and guard post maintenance.

$44,000.00 from Ardea Cares for Borana Conservancy in Kenya. One of the most critical funding priorities for the conservation management team at Borana Conservancy was the need for a new vehicle for its ranger security team. Borana’s current two Landrovers, which are being used by the Anti-Poaching Unit, are now ~eight years old, and the maintenance required to keep them operational is becoming economically non-viable. The urgent priority was therefore to buy at least one new replacement vehicle, complete with bush modifications to make them robust and fit-for-purpose. In order to carry Rapid Response teams, these security vehicles are fitted with a longitudinal bench seat facing outwards, a roll cage that supports a canopy, and a roof rack over the cabin for carrying kit / equipment that enable each unit to remain in the field unsupported for up to 10 days. On the front and sides of the vehicle, further protection is added so that the bodywork is not damaged in the event that the vehicle has to go off-road to support a casualty evacuation or access an area to support a wildlife vet intervention. Specialized digital radio communication stations are fitted to the new vehicle, to enable the security team to safely coordinate operations during emergencies.

$17,400.00 from Ardea Cares for uMkhuze Game Reserve in South Africa. uMkhuze’s Conservation Manager, Eduard Goosen, plans to implement a three-year annual ranger training program across the Reserve to ensure that rangers are well-trained in field skills, tactics, armed contacts, as well as First Aid and other essential skills. Rangers risk their lives every day to protect the world’s rhino populations and their job is becoming increasingly challenging due to the ever-present threat of poaching. It has never been more important for the rangers to be properly trained and equipped to deal with these potentially dangerous and life-threatening situations. With these additional layers of support, uMkhuze’s black and white rhinos will be much better protected against the ever-present threat of poaching. A comprehensive ranger training plan has now been developed in collaboration with a training provider, Conservation Outcomes, for the next three years. Specifically, this grant is helping to cover two training courses to be held in 2021: the Basic Key Field Skills Course and the Patrol Leaders’ Course.

$2,782.80 from Ardea Cares for the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) in the UK. See April grants for more details.

$10,000.00 from March to the Top was awarded to the For Rangers initiative, for onwards granting to beneficiary field programs. For Rangers’ priority is ranger welfare, and grants support medical care and life insurance, uniforms, physical and mental wellbeing, and equipment. To a lesser extent, grants may also be used to improve living standards for rangers while on site, pay for training, and to respond to emergency needs

$2,105.00 from Johnny Beveridge was awarded to Borana Conservancy’s Days for Girls appeal, to pay for menstrual kits, distributed via the Borana Mobile Clinic and Community Development Office to female students in the Borana Education Support Program. Each $10 donation includes a kit demonstration and an Ambassador of Women Health training from Pauline, the Borana Mobile Clinic nurse. The training will teach girls about their body development, menstrual cycle, menstrual hygiene and other reproductive health issues.

$50,012.00 from WildAid for the Core Critical Operations Costs appeal, developed on behalf of the Association of Private and community Land Sanctuaries (APLRS) in Kenya in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This was shared between the seven Members of the APLRS (Big Life Foundation, Borana Conservancy, Il Ngwesi Community Conservancy, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Ol Jogi Conservancy, Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Sera Wildlife Conservancy) to help cover the salaries of security staff and associated staff costs, vehicle fuel and maintenance costs for patrol purposes, flying time (helicopter and fixed-wing, as a deterrent to incursions and reaction to any threats), and other essential costs, including: canine units; intelligence gathering and analysis; a proportion of management staff (reduced) salaries; electricity / power, water, fence and road maintenance for security purposes; communications (again security-related) and any emergency vet interventions required. All these security-related activities must continue, if the conservancies and the wildlife they nurture are to survive.

$3,500.00 from the Scott and Jessica McClintock Foundation for the Javan Rhino Study and Conservation Area in Indonesia. This was the second of three installments; see February 2021 for more details.