These past two weeks all the Lion Rangers have gathered for our annual training. Hosted by Namibia’s Cheetah Conservation Fund, just outside Otjiwarongo, this year’s training focused on Basic First Aid refreshers for all Program staff, SMART competencies for collecting field data, and team-building exercises to strengthen our work in the field and as community members. We were so glad to be joined by the Pangolin Rangers.
In 2021, all Lion Rangers received first aid training from Adventure Medical Training and Services, who specialize in delivering remote medical care and training to under-served communities in Namibia. Training modules include classroom-based and practical first aid, including how to respond to medical emergencies in remote settings and what type of information to provide caregivers such as EMS or doctors. These skills enable Lion Rangers to not only support one another in their work, but to serve as assets for their communities – many of whom live beyond the reach of EMS. For many of the Lion Rangers this training was a refresher. In the past four years Rangers’ have put first aid training to good use, including tending to bumps, bruises, cuts, and minor muscle injuries; but also, more serious incidents such as when a farmer in Puros was attacked by an injured lion. Training such as this is part of the Lion Rangers Program mission to serve our communities beyond limiting human-lion conflict. Other trainings, including drug-and-alcohol awareness, and household budgeting, have also helped the Lion Rangers grow their life-skills; building capacity they can take back to their communities. This year was a chance to refresh and refocus our first aid skills. Thanks to instructor Kyle Jackman-Thompson for a great training!
This year we were also pleased to be joined by Rangers from the Pangolin Research and Conservation Foundation. Based in northeast Namibia, this impressive organization has been taking the lead in limiting pangolin poaching and building partnerships between government and local communities to spread information about the importance of protecting this endangered and often-overlooked species.
Each year’s training also includes a refresh of using the SMART app to collect field data. The SMART app-based program is a collection tool for rangers and conservationists working on the frontlines of ensuring a future for wildlife. The Lion Rangers Program has been working in partnership with SMART since 2021 – we were pleased to serve as a pilot program for SMART in Namibia. Building a strong evidence base of environmental data is critical to community-based conservation and monitoring our local wildlife.
Training provides an important opportunity for our whole team to gather, reflect on the past year’s successes and challenges, and set a course for the year to come. While the Lion Rangers are proud that the desert-adapted lion population is stable, we know there is much work to be done to limit human-lion conflict and ensure a bright future for lions and people in northwest Namibia.
Thanks to the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia for sponsoring this year’s training and to the Cheetah Conservation Fund for hosting. Thanks to the Pangolin Rangers for joining.
