We at K.E.E.P felt that in these uncertain times a good place to start would be via education and training, there are a lot of folks suddenly with a lot of time on their hands hence the launching of our first project K.E.E.P WATCH. This is a 30 day Park Ranger training course in collaboration with STEP (Southern Tanzania Elephant Program), where we are honing the skills required of 2 women and 14 men for a life spent living rough and wild in the African bush protecting the area along with its inhabitants.

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It is a tough existence being a ranger in Africa. Days are spent trudging through the undergrowth on patrol, the harsh sun beating down during the midday hours filling the eyes with sweat. Thorns, thistles, burrs and blisters are just accepted and lived with, they are part of the environment out here. Not only uncomfortable but also dangerous, for often very little pay these ambassadors of nature risk their lives on a daily basis not only from the wild animals that swarm around but there is also a chance of coming across the occasional poacher too! The big return for them, and what keeps them going, is often the pride they feel in defending their precious natural resources and the continued existence of them, this makes it all worthwhile.

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We at K.E.E.P like to help in any way possible and we are now two weeks into our ranger training course where we play our part just to make them that little bit safer in the bush while they go about their work. The 16 chosen rangers have come along in leaps and bounds. Thirsty for experience and knowledge they are throwing everything they have at this. The first week comprised of getting to know the tools of our trade, namely the rifle, and they have endured intensive weapon safety training and continuous drills to become familiar and proficient with them in a dangerous animal situation. It may only happen once in a lifetime, but the day it happens and life is at stake, they will all be very glad they had this training. After finding the “sharpshooters” of which there were a few, we were then safe enough to get into the field and start patrolling.

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The second week has been mainly on foot. We are getting out there gathering information on how the area fared after the subsiding of our last major rains, apparently the most the country has received overall since the 60’s. The already limited road network and infrastructure took a beating: erosion gullies, washaways, and the loss of one particularly important bridge which gives vehicle access to the Western half of the area during the wet season. The laborious process of rebuilding these important access points we shall leave for next week. This week we are focusing on understanding animal behavior and warning signs. Currently we are having too much fun walking through the unspoiled wilds of Africa getting the Rangers acquainted with being on foot close to big game and how to manage and avoid the accidental encounters they frequently have during a day of patrolling.