Thank You Letter From Felix a Wildlife Ranger Scout

What a welcome surprise in my inbox, a thank you letter from a wildlife ranger scout we sponsor.

Late last year we sponsored a wildlife ranger scout to save elephants for 2017. We decided to do this after we’d met Lynn Clifford. Just weeks before she’d been in a crazy gyrocopter accident. They were tracking a herd of elephants in the Thuma Forest Reserve in Malawi when they went down. Fortunately both Lynn and her pilot survived.

There is a lesser known stretch of mountains terrain between Salima and Lilongwe. This is home to elephants, buffalo and other mammals. However, like many places. Their habitat is threatened by the ever growing, encroaching press of humanity.

Locals cut down trees to make charcoal or kill elephant for their tusks. Both illegal destructive activities. Lynn, the Field Manager of the Wildlife Action Group works relentlessly with her team to resolve conflicts and stop the poaching.

When we visited the base camp in the Thuma Forest and met with Connex, Lynn’s right hand man, we were impressed. A dedicated team of wildlife ranger scouts patrol the forest daily. They keep poachers at bay and assist local authorities in apprehending them. Periodically a ranger scout is called in to testify in court, generally assuring a conviction of the poacher. Part of their duties include game counts and looking for snares (which they did the morning we went on patrol with them.)

When I asked Lynn what some of her greatest needs were. She immediately responded, “We need more scouts. The 14 we have can’t cover the whole area. We really need twice as many.”

Well, we responded by sponsoring a wildlife ranger scout. This year we hope to sponsor two more.

Then just this week I had a very pleasant surprise. I received an email from Lynn with a copy of this heartwarming letter from Felix the scout sponsored by Nikela… thanks to support from people like you.