World Ranger Day is celebrated around the world on July 31st each year on the founding anniversary of the International Ranger Federation, an organization that supports the work of rangers as the key protectors of parks and conservation. World Ranger Day is also a day to remember the many rangers who have been injured or killed in the line of duty while protecting national and state parks.
Providing protection for our precious natural recourses comes in many forms. Front line fighting, investigation, rehabilitation and public education. Although the rangers at Zambezi Grande Private Game Experience are not fighting on the front lines against poachers and putting their lives at risk, their function in this fight is no less crucial or important. While creating a fun and entertaining experience for their guests, they educate and pass on their passion for nature, the environment and the creatures found in it. We all know that education and understanding is the key to any sort of change we want in our world. And our noble rangers have devoted their lives to this cause. With their wealth of knowledge and passion for wildlife, our rangers endeavour to help to our guests understand, appreciate and love our natural world and, hopefully, become ambassadors and guardians when they return to their normal lives.
So, without further ado, we would like to introduce the game rangers of Zambezi Grande Private Game Experience:
Levy
Levy has been working in the Lower Zambezi as a Ranger for over 14 years. He loves gardening as well as being a Ranger, proudly helping to farm the kitchen’s vegetable patch.
What’s your favourite Lower Zambezi National Park animal?
“Any of the big cats, Leopard sightings are always special.”
What spectacular sighting have you witnessed first-hand in the Lower Zambezi National Park?
“Witnessing a leopard hunt. Two females successfully caught an Impala, which only took about 3 minutes to take down, and started to feast on their kill. It wasn’t long before three hyena turned up and chased the two leopards away. Karma was on the leopard’s side though, as some elephants then came through the area and scared the hyena off, allowing the leopards to retrieve their kill and safely take it up into nearby tree with them.”
Given
The youngest of the our Rangers, Given has been a ranger for 12 years. “I enjoy playing soccer and try to watch an English Premiership game most weekends. I also enjoy fishing on the great Zambezi River.
What’s your favourite Lower Zambezi National Park animal?
“Wild dogs and leopards”
What spectacular sighting have you witnessed first-hand in the Lower Zambezi National Park?
“A vervet monkey trying to take on a porcupine…. He soon regretted that decision!”
Thomson
Thomson has been working as a Ranger since he was 21 and loves his job. His huge passion is fishing on the Zambezi, having landed a few 10lb+ Tigers!
What’s your favourite Lower Zambezi National Park animal?
“We’re so fortunate to have many wonderful animals here – lions, leopards, wild dog, pangolin, honey badgers…. They’re all special.”
What spectacular sighting have you witnessed first-hand in the Lower Zambezi National Park?
“I’ve seen some amazing sightings in my time as a ranger. Nature is a privilege to observe. I recently saw some lions successfully hunt a bushbuck, and the elephants here in the Lower Zambezi are always fascinating to watch.”
A Ranger’s enthusiasm and knowledge can make any safari magical. Now that you know the Zambezi Grande Private Game Experience Rangers that little bit better, come test their talents!
