Archive

26 Apr

Two Weeks on the Front Lines: TECC Training Across South Africa’s Rhino Protection Units

For the past two weeks, Chris Laursen has been on the ground across South Africa, delivering advanced Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) training to front-line anti-poaching teams protecting some of the world’s most threatened rhino populations. From the Eastern Cape to the Greater Kruger landscape, these trainings brought together foot patrol rangers and K9 response units operating in some of the highest-risk environments in modern conservation. Every patrol carries risk, not only from armed poachers, but from dangerous wildlife, environmental hazards, and the physical demands of remote field work. Ensuring rangers are medically prepared to respond under pressure can mean the difference between life and death.

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22 Apr

Global Conservation Force Brings Advanced Wildlife Protection Training Back to California

Global Conservation Force (GCF) is bringing advanced wildlife protection training back to the United States, with California selected as the operational setting for our Level 2 Wildlife Protection & Conservation Bootcamp. This return marks a significant step in strengthening conservation readiness training while providing a rare opportunity to operate across drastically different environments in one continuous field program. Designed as the next step following Level 1 Introduction to Anti-Poaching training, this Level 2 course builds multi-environment readiness, standardizes operational skills, and prepares individuals for future conservation training opportunities across Africa, Asia, Central America, and North America. This is not a classroom-based program. It is a demanding, immersive field course built to reflect the real-world conditions faced by wildlife protection personnel worldwide.

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17 Apr

GCF Sponsors First Responder, TECC, and Water Rescue Training for Kariega Foundation Anti-Poaching Unit

Global Conservation Force (GCF) recently ran and fully sponsored a comprehensive First Responder / First Aid and Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) training, alongside swim lessons and water rescue instruction, for our dedicated anti-poaching partners at the Kariega Foundation, supporting operations within Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa. This multi-discipline training program was designed to strengthen the lifesaving capabilities of rangers operating in remote and high-risk environments where immediate medical care is often the difference between life and death.

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16 Apr

March 2026 Field Update | South Africa

Gear Delivery, Eight Days of Scenario Training, and Multi-Reserve Conservation Support in the Eastern Cape March 2026 marked another sustained operational cycle for Global Conservation Force (GCF) and our long-standing […]

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9 Apr

Global Conservation Force Hosts Annual K9 First Aid Training for Ranger Handlers

On March 24, 2026, we ran our annual K9 First Aid training for ranger handlers across South Africa’s Eastern Cape. This critical program was delivered in partnership with the expert veterinary team from Ikhala Veterinary Hospital, including veterinarians and veterinary nurses who play an essential role in the ongoing health and survival of conservation working dogs.

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6 Apr

GCF x War Dog Tactical Gear Now Available

We’re thrilled to announce that GCF x War Dog Tactical gear is officially available for purchase in US! This line of tactical harnesses, collars, and collapsible water bowls combines field-ready durability with support for a great cause—every purchase helps fund GCF’s conservation K9 programs.

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2 Apr

The First Annual Eastern Cape Ranger Reserve Challenge

This March marked the launch of the inaugural Eastern Cape Ranger Reserve Challenge, a thrilling new tradition that will now run annually each March. Anti-poaching teams from across our partner reserves came together for a friendly, high-energy competition, testing strength, skill, teamwork, and sheer determination in the field.

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2 Apr

A First for GCF in Nepal: World Pangolin Day 2026

This year marked a powerful milestone as World Pangolin Day 2026 was celebrated on the ground in Nepal’s Tanahun District—bringing communities, students, and conservationists together for the very first time around one shared mission: protecting pangolins.

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23 Feb

Mike Veale Shares Global Conservation K9 Insights at Thames Valley Police Training Center

GCF's Mike Veale, recently presented at the Thames Valley Police Training Center, engaging an international audience of working dog trainers, handlers, police K9 officers, and program leaders from England, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, and the United States. Mike’s presentation focused on the critical role of K9 teams in wildlife protection, conservation, and counter wildlife trafficking operations. Drawing from GCF’s global experience, he highlighted the importance of parallel initiatives that complement dog handling—including targeted operational strategies, multi-tiered training programs for both dogs and handlers, and best practices for achieving total operational readiness.

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23 Feb

Coffee & Conservation: Rita Santas on Conservation K9s, Dogs for Nature, and Building Capacity in the Field

In the latest episode of Coffee & Conservation, Mike sits down with Rita Santas, conservation K9 handler and founder-owner of Dogs for Nature in Portugal, to talk about her journey into working dogs for conservation, the realities of deploying K9 teams in the field, and the changes needed to strengthen conservation and wildlife protection globally.

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