On your bike

DONATE | TAKE PART

The Africa travel industry is coming together to protect African rangers and wildlife by riding the equivalent of circumnavigating Africa, 30,000km in a cumulative bike ride. 

On 15th August 2020, members and supporters of the African travel industry will be kicking off the ‘Ride4Rangers‘ initiative by beginning their journey from Lands End to John O’Groats and we’d love YOU to get involved!

As you may be aware, tourism is the main funder for conservation in Africa. Certainly, if you’ve ever been on safari, you’ll be familiar with the ‘park fee’ included in your booking, usually about £50 per person, for each day in a national park or wildlife area.

In the past few months, this income has come to a dramatic halt with Coronavirus preventing holidays to Africa. As a result conservation areas have faced a loss of millions which would normally fund their vitally important rangers.

The impact of these losses is already being seen, and in July 2020 alone, 360 elephants died in Botswana from suspected poisoning, and as has been reported widely (see below) poaching is surging.

• BBC The wild animals at risk in lockdown
• BBC How the Covid-19 pandemic is threatening Africa’s wildlife
• CNBC Poachers kill more animals as coronavirus crushes tourism to Africa
• National Geographic Poaching threats loom as wildlife safaris put on hold due to COVID-19
• Aljazeera How big a threat does coronavirus pose to wildlife in Africa?
• ABC news Experts in Kenya fear poaching, deforestation are surging during COVID-19 lockdown
• New York Times Poachers Kill More Rhinos as Coronavirus Halts Tourism to Africa

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT

We may not be in Africa for our holidays this year, but we can still support the continent’s globally important wildlife areas, and the people on the ground keeping them safe. To do this Africa lovers world-wide are coming together to ride the equivalent length of circumnavigating Africa 30,000 kms – to for the urgent support of rangers in the field. A global ‘Ride 4 Rangers‘.

We are delighted to say that with their exceptional track record and understanding of African conservation our close friends Tusk are the official charity partner of the Ride4Rangers challenge and incredibly – a generous private donor has agreed to match fund everything we raise. Yes £ for £ match funding up to $5million.  That means we have a unique chance to double the impact of all our fundraising activity.

PLAY YOUR PART AND JOIN THE RIDE – wherever you are!

Cycle 10KM, Donate 10$, Nominate 3 people.

Led by the Africa travel community, join the challenge by riding (running, walking or horse-riding) for 5, 20 or 50 kms. Be part of something huge. A brilliant way to support wildlife conservation, when it needs you most. Monies raised will be distributed among over 60 conservation areas and entities all over Africa – and overseen by an independent steering committee composed of conservation leaders across Africa. Learn how to record your ride here.

Take part in the big ride!

If you happen to bee a keen cyclist and would like to join the Lands End to John O’Groats bike ride on August the 15th – 29th in the UK,  for part of a day, a full day – or even the full trip, you’d be incredibly welcome. Spearheaded by members of the Africa travel community, and supported by Land Rover (who are generously providing vehicle support in their new Defender for all riders), you’d be joining a countrywide show of support for African wildlife and conservation. All are welcome. Each days ride starts with a family friendly 10 kilometre section, big roads will be avoided, and all Coronavirus protocols will be strictly adhered to. For more information, see the riders guide here.

To register your personal ride or join the Lands End to John O’Groats bike ride go to www.ride4rangers.com and learn how to set up your justgiving page here.

Donate

If sofa surfing is more your style, you can still make a donation and with the match funding if you donate £20, it will be matched, making the end donation £40 and so forth.

Time to get ‘social’ – let everyone know what you’re doing!

Whether you tweet, facebook or instagram, please share what you’re doing with the world.

• Post pictures and videos of your training,
• Engage as many people as you possibly can using <<Cycle 10, Donate 10, Nominate 3 + Double your Donation>>
• Include the hashtags #ride4rangers  and #togetherfortusk
• Tag @exceptional_travel, @ride4rangers and @tusk_org
• Re-post messages from the Ride4Rangers Facebook and Instagram

Have fun, make a difference and sign up as we aim to create the UK’s biggest ever public show of support for wildlife conservation in Africa.

The movement is growing…

To find out more, please see www.ride4rangers.com or get in touch.