Across Africa, 65,000 rangers protect the continent's wildlife, often without health insurance or safety training. The Wildlife Ranger Challenge is the biggest effort yet to do something about it.

Africa faces an estimated shortage of around 280,000 rangers. It is calculated that as many as 345,000 could be needed to safeguard the continent’s protected areas, but only around 65,000 currently serve on the frontline.

Against this backdrop, the launch of the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, organised by Tusk and the Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA), has never felt more important. Now in its seventh year, the campaign has raised more than $25 million since 2020, helping to support the rangers at the heart of conservation across Africa.

Those familiar with the Challenge may remember the yearly half marathon in September, where ranger teams from across Africa cover 21km in full kit (22kg for men and 10kg for women). It’s the campaign’s most recognisable moment, but it’s only one part of the story.

In the weeks leading up to race day, teams take part in a series of mental and physical training challenges, testing teamwork, knowledge and fitness. The challenges reflect the realities of a ranger’s role, where difficult terrain and unpredictable situations demand resilience and sharp decision-making.

Alongside that, teams spend weeks fundraising and sharing their experiences with supporters worldwide. It’s a chance to raise awareness of a profession that, despite its importance, is still widely misunderstood.

Conservation is often told through the species we’re trying to protect. We celebrate elephant populations recovering, rhinos returning to protected areas and habitats being restored. Those successes matter, but they can make it easy to overlook the people behind them.

A ranger’s job extends far beyond anti-poaching patrols. They monitor wildlife, collect data that informs conservation decisions, respond to reports of human-wildlife conflict and help enforce environmental laws. Many, like last year’s Tusk Conservation Award winners, also work closely with neighbouring communities, whether that’s by supporting education programmes or helping people live more safely alongside wildlife.

Rangers contribute directly to global efforts to protect 30% of the planet’s land and waters by 2030, yet many continue to work with very limited resources in remote areas, spending weeks or months away from their families.

More than 100 rangers lose their lives in the line of duty every year worldwide, many of them killed by poaching networks and organised criminal activity. Even then, only around 40% report receiving adequate health and safety training, while roughly half say they have no health insurance.

The Wildlife Ranger Challenge was created with this reality in mind. Every dollar raised goes directly back to ranger teams, helping provide training equipment and welfare support. The 2025 Challenge, for example, raised $3.35 million, bringing the total since 2020 to over $25 million. Over the past six years, the campaign has brought together more than 150 teams from 62 organisations across 22 African countries.

“Reaching $25 million is an extraordinary achievement and a tribute to thousands of people who have backed wildlife rangers over the past six years. But it should not leave us thinking the job is done,” said Charlie Mayhew, President and CEO of Tusk.

“Rangers remain one of conservation’s most under-recognised workforces. Every day they protect wildlife, support local communities, respond to emergencies and help safeguard landscapes that benefit us all. The Wildlife Ranger Challenge exists because they deserve greater investment, greater recognition and greater support.”

The challenge has also helped raise awareness and build solidarity among rangers. As Louise de Bruin, CEO of GRAA, puts it, “almost every ranger, even if they’re not officially part of the WRC, knows about it. The ripple effects are there, in recognition and solidarity amongst rangers, but also with the wider public, who are learning more about the role rangers play.”

By the time teams gather for the half marathon in September, they’ll already have spent weeks training, fundraising and giving people a better understanding of the work rangers do every day. That’s what makes the Wildlife Ranger Challenge more than a race.

On World Ranger Day, it’s a timely reminder that conservation doesn’t happen without the people on its front line.