Stronghold works with park Rangers in Malawi
A Stronghold advisor conducts an AAR (After Action Report) with a team of rangers after a multi-day patrol in the field. (©️ 2024, Stronghold Rescue and Relief)
The poaching crisis in Malawi is complex. Poachers in the region are often affiliated with cartels that are involved in illegal weapons distribution, drug dealing, and human trafficking, not to mention other illegal activities. Many of these poachers travel to an area just outside of National Parks and use a village there as a jumping-off point to enter the protected areas to conduct illegal activity. Often, poachers force the locals to do their dirty work for them, and in the past, they have been known to manipulate children to work for them as well.
A ranger scans a large area of Nyika National Park from an OP (Observation Post) using a pair of binoculars. These rangers are subject matter experts in the field and often know many of the routes poachers will take to enter and maneuver through the park. (©️ 2024, Stronghold Rescue and Relief)
The park rangers are tasked with combating illegal gangs that prey on the environment, animals, and, most importantly, innocent families near the park. The park rangers in Nyika National Park patrol a massive area (3,200 sq km or 1,250 sq mi) in austere conditions, where poachers, animals, and even the environment itself can pose a threat to them. Working with limited resources, the rangers struggle to protect and care for the park and the people caught in harm's way. Strongholds' mission in Malawi was to help the park rangers increase their ability to accomplish their mission: protecting families affected by these international crime syndicates. Stay tuned for more detailed updates on the Malawi mission.
Rangers load into the back of a Toyota truck as they head out to conduct an over night patrol. (©️ 2024, Stronghold Rescue and Relief)
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