Night Operations
Its arguable as to what the most important qualities in an anti-poaching ranger are, but you can bet your bottom dollar that guts and perseverance are right there at the top – along with stamina, patience and shrewdness.
I had no idea what to expect when I joined Big Life Foundation’s Sinya rangers on a ‘Night Operation. I arrived at Big Life Foundation’s (BLF) Sinya post 3 days earlier and was immediately struck by the ranger’s friendliness, and willingness to share their knowledge in the daunting battle against poaching.
My initial days at Sinya involved interviewing the rangers and Zone Commander Manja Tobico, as well as accompanying them all on some of their routine and daily maneuvers. There is little doubt that the teasing disguised their testing and evaluation as to whether I would be allowed to accompany them on a ‘Night Operation!’ The result was a friendship that neither side had expected, and immense respect on my part for this small band of dedicated, brave men.
The week before my arrival Zone Commander Manja and his men had single handedly tracked down and arrested a group of over 83 Somalis that had penetrated the game area during the dead of night. They accomplished this cautiously, through conviction and without the aid of guns – their maneuvers and tactics confidential.
I joined them on ‘Night Operations’ after a particularly long day, which amongst other things confirmed the lack of any unusual activity. Quite rightly Manja and his 8 rangers weren’t going to let me join them unless there was some level of certainty concerning ‘movement’ in the area. Of course, the essence of the job embodies uncertainties!
It was still daylight as we headed towards one of several prominent hills in Sinya. I was seated next to Ibrahim, their highly competent driver, who at only 29 has an incredible amount of bush driving experience – especially at navigating in the dark! I sat in the rear during the day, benefiting from its raised and open deck, but they now felt happier with me seated in the front. In all honesty it was also warmer! Like the desert, Sinya’s temperature can rise and drop dramatically and before the night was through we would all be wrapped in extra Maasai blankets.
Ibrahim is gifted in the art of communicating, people are naturally drawn to him. Later I learnt he won the trust and respect of the locals by helping them with genuine emergencies such as transporting the sick to hospital. He has the incredible ability to start up a conversation with anyone, before switching into ‘the listener’.
Meanwhile that night, Ibrahim slowly reached into his thick jacket and answered his mobile in muffled tones. Silence and anonymity is VITAL! We drove up the hill’s steep shoulder with no lights, Ibrahim phone had vibrated only, he communicated in short, silent whispers, and all ensuing discussions with his commander and fellow rangers were almost inaudible to my ears!
Irregular movements of an unidentified ‘pikipiki’ (motorbike in Kiswahili) had been reported and warranted scrutiny. Chances were it was nothing, but the rangers weren’t taking chances, but first they meticulously completed their routine surveillances from the hilltop. Whilst I suppressed impatient, they calmly watched and waited, as sharp as a leopard.
The red strips across the sky had long gone when Ibrahim edged forward into the darkness and flatlands below. Wearing a seat belt seemed frivolous!
A significant proportion of the rangers work involves appraising the authenticity and value of information gathered whilst thinking on their feet! More often than not, the poachers found in Sinya use unsophisticated and ruthless methods rather than powerful firearms. The rangers have not heard gunshots in a long time. On moonless nights poachers shine powerful torches and strike whilst the animal is blinded and confused by the light. Crude snares, poisoned fruit and arrows are used during a full moon, but the rangers now know the poacher’s tactics, their habits and methods. Slowly BLF is tightening the noose and making the poacher’s job increasingly difficult!
That night we cornered the unsuspecting driver of the motorbike. His explanation for being out on a moonless night (in the middle of no-where) was far from convincing – but the rangers simply exchanged pleasantries and let him go. What ensued was an all night rekke over wild terrain, carefully thought out maneuvers and a well-planned trap – spreading out and then regrouping, monitoring, scaling pitch-black hills, and a lot of frozen moments ‘waiting’ and ‘still’.
It was like a chess game where the strategy constantly changed. I also learnt that any given operation (especially at night) rarely, if ever, stands alone, nor can it be measured as an outright success or failure. The experience gained and aftermath triggers a chain of events that invariably tip the scales in the ranger’s favor.
Prior to BLF opening the Sinya’s ranger post, elephant poaching in the area was rampant with anything between 2 to 3 and upwards being slaughtered a month. BLF has forced the butchering down to approximately one elephant a year, but BLF must constantly outsmart poachers, who constantly develop more sophisticated and treacherous killing methods. Poachers are like balls in pinball machine, pawns in a much bigger game. On average a pair of tusks will earn the poacher $24. An elephant, weighing 5 tons will take 25 years to reached that weight and it will take another 22-month pregnancy and 25, volatile years to replace! On average a ‘carrier’ earns $36 to haul the ivory to a collection point. That same ivory will fetch anything up to $200.000 in China.
The true tragedy is that these beautiful giants offer a far bigger future to all of Africa ALIVE. The world’s ivory mafia will move on to butcher another part of Africa’s future, once all the elephants have been slaughtered here. They have no qualms about destroying the world’s largest land dinosaur, or destroying East Africa’s extraordinary industry in tourism and the livelihood it provides hundreds & thousands of Tanzanians and Kenyans, at every level.
Outsmarted we will be left the losers, who sold our future for a pittance!
Big Life Foundation, its founders, rangers, local communities, increasing supporters and financial contributors are joining hands globally to rewrite this final chapter.