Ride4Rangers is an Africa travel industry initiative to help raise vital funds to support rangers who are the first line of defence to protect endangered species across Africa.

I’m teaming up with TV presenter Nick Baker and wildlife photographer Nick Garbutt and many others across the world in cumulatively cycling 30,000km – the equivalent of circumnavigating Africa – to support this incredible project. If you’d like to help visit my JustGiving page to make a donation.

In Africa, as in many parts to the world, the impact of COVID-19 is leading to the collapse of tourism. This has had a devastating economic impact, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people, as well as the future of the continent’s iconic wildlife, such as elephant, rhino, lion and pangolin. As a wildlife sculptor, I feel I need to do my bit to help at this critical time.

Money to pay rangers in some of the world’s flagship wildlife areas in Africa is simply not there. The conservation bodies in prized wilderness areas, such as Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, Tanzania’s Serengeti, South Africa’s Kruger and many more, are struggling to pay the salaries of the rangers who protect these animals. The rangers are enduring drastic cuts in salaries and resources due to the devastating economic impact of the COVID pandemic, but they are still working tirelessly to safeguard the continent’s iconic wildlife. These brave and dedicated people need are help.

I’m proud to join the Wildlife Worldwide team in cycling at least 400 miles of their 5,500 mile target – the length of Africa- to help raise money that will go directly towards supporting the salaries and deployment of African rangers during this crisis.

But that’s not all. Through this incredible initiative supported by Tusk, every penny will be match funded. So, if we raise £5,000, the rangers will receive £10,000, doubling the value of every donation. The overall aim of Tusk is to put U$10 million into the field to support rangers over the course of the next nine months. This money will make a real difference to Africa’s wildlife and the people who work so hard to protect it. Here are just some of the things you could help fund:

• £100 could purchase a GPS enabled camera to monitor wildlife
• £200 could fund a Lion Guard Ranger’s salary for a month
• £250 could provide materials needed to build a predator-proof livestock enclosure
• £500 could sponsor a 4-man anti-poaching team in the field for a month

Update

A big thank you to everyone who donated to the Wildlife Worldwide cycling team. We collectively cycled the length of Africa and halfway to Antarctica! I personally raised £1,680 and the team as a whole raised £20,195 which will be match-funded. The money raised will help keep wildlife rangers on patrol and protecting the wildlife we all cherish. If you missed it first time round, there’s still time to make a donation on my JustGiving page.