On September 19, dozens of youthful rangers gathered at Pakuba Airstrip in Murchison Falls National Park for the Wildlife Ranger Challenge, a 21-kilometre race designed to raise funds and awareness for conservation efforts. The teams from Uganda's conservation landscapes made their final preparations, with men carrying 22 kilogramme backpacks and women carrying 10-kilogramme loads. The rangers were running not only for victory but also to honor the memory of Private David Onenchan, a colleague who was killed while on patrol in Kidepo Valley National Park.
The Wildlife Ranger Challenge brings together thousands of rangers across Africa in a synchronized 21-kilometre race. This year, more than 2,000 wildlife and marine rangers from 21 African countries took part in 166 teams. The Challenge, now in its seventh year, is organized by Tusk and the Game Rangers Association of Africa, with funding support from Mark Scheinberg. Since its launch, the Challenge has reportedly raised more than US$25 million and supported or engaged more than 11,500 rangers.
In Uganda, the event was hosted by the Uganda Conservation Foundation (UCF) and brought together wildlife ranger teams from across the country. The day before the race, UCF founder Michael Keigwin gathered the teams for their final briefing, emphasizing teamwork and safety rather than competition. He advised the rangers to "go at the pace of the slowest person," highlighting the importance of collective movement and support.
For the Kidepo women, teamwork is fundamental to their work. Private Akello Robinah Brella, the women's team captain, described their approach to mobile patrols, which can keep them in the bush for six or seven days. They train alongside their male colleagues and take part in mixed patrols, making the physical demands of the race pack a controlled version of what they routinely encounter in the field.
Private Henry Pekorom, the captain of Kidepo men's team, attributed their success to experience, fitness, and the terrain in which they work. Kidepo's rangers regularly exercise and spend long periods on patrol in hilly terrain, covering distances of up to 200 kilometres and lasting for weeks. The team had already won the men's competition three times in succession, and they successfully defended their title.
The victory was particularly significant for the Kidepo teams, as they were running in memory of Private David Onenchan. Pekorom spoke of Onenchan as one of their own and offered a prayer for him, recalling a colleague who had been on patrol when armed poachers attacked. Onenchan's death was the first that Pekorom had experienced during his four years in Kidepo, making the loss particularly painful.
The Wildlife Ranger Challenge can easily be understood through its spectacle, but the reality behind the pack is more complex. The rangers face significant risks attached to their work, including encounters with armed poachers. The Challenge not only demonstrates the physical endurance of the rangers but also honors their fallen colleagues and supports conservation efforts.
Key points
- Kidepo Valley National Park rangers win Wildlife Ranger Challenge in Uganda.
- The challenge honors conservation efforts and remembers a fallen ranger, Private David Onenchan.
- The event brings together thousands of rangers across Africa, raising funds and awareness for conservation.
