2025 Introduction to Anti-Poaching Course | Week 3 Update

2025 Introduction to Anti-Poaching Course | Week 3 Update

At Global Conservation Force (GCF), our mission remains clear: to equip the next generation of rangers with the skills, training, and gear they need to protect some of the world’s most endangered wildlife.

 

Thanks to a generous grant from the United Methodist Church in Vista, we have secured the base costs for our instructors and the community-selected recruits participating in this year’s Annual Ranger Training Course in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. However, additional funding is still needed to ensure these recruits complete their training fully prepared.

Recruits and Community Impact

This year, recruits were carefully selected from the Eastern Cape and surrounding isiXhosa communities, giving local youth opportunities to gain critical skills and work in conservation roles. An additional five spots were open for external candidates who applied to participate in this intensive program.

 

Currently, we are down to 8 recruits in their final week, refining course skills and preparing for their final assessments, live operations, and patrols. So far, the recruits have successfully removed 202 snares while supporting Tactrac operations across the Eastern Cape, a direct contribution to wildlife protection on the frontline.

 

Course Overview

 

The Introduction to Anti-Poaching Training Course is a three-week program designed to create competent, efficient, and effective wildlife protection professionals. Recruits undergo rigorous preparation modeled after military or law enforcement training, developing both physical and mental endurance for high-stakes conservation work.

 

Program Highlights Include:

  • Physically and mentally demanding curriculum simulating real-world anti-poaching operations

  • Hands-on training in wildlife protection, tracking, and conservation techniques

  • Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) and trauma response under high-pressure conditions

  • Maximum of 16 recruits per course for personalized instruction

  • 10 local South African spots and 6 external spots available

 

Learning Outcomes

 

By the end of the program, graduates will have:

  • Foundational expertise in anti-poaching operations

  • Hands-on skills in wildlife protection and conservation

  • Medical readiness with TECC certification

  • Physical and mental endurance for operational fieldwork

  • Practical skills to tackle wildlife crime and contribute meaningfully to conservation initiatives

 

Ways to Support This Year and Next

 

We are seeking individuals and business sponsors to cover the remaining costs for 7 recruits. Your sponsorship directly funds the essential needs of these future conservation warriors.

 

Sponsorship Options:

  • Full Sponsorship – $1,000: Covers all remaining costs for a recruit, including transportation, certifications, field and patrol gear, food, graduation kit, and celebratory meal.

  • Partial Sponsorship – $500: Supports essential field and patrol gear, food, and graduation kit.

  • Ranger Graduation Kit Sponsorship – $250: Supports a recruit’s graduation ceremony and final gear needs.

  • Corporate or Team Sponsorship: Businesses and teams can sponsor one or multiple recruits and be featured as official supporters of GCF’s ranger training initiatives.

 

Your support ensures these dedicated recruits complete the course fully prepared to serve as frontline conservation warriors, safeguarding wildlife and protecting habitats that are under constant threat from poaching.

 

To become a sponsor or learn more about supporting GCF’s anti-poaching training programs, donate via the link below or contact our team at info@globalconservationforce.org . Every contribution helps build a stronger, safer, and more effective ranger force.

Click Here To Support