Protection of Nature's Fragility is a Calling of Love and Responsibility

At the crack of dawn the Rhino Protection Ranger team begin their daily routine, a leg patrol of the park. I, similar to many, take it for granted that we can drive through a park and find animals grazing freely. We are unaware of the sacrifice and hours put in to safeguard the delicate balance of wildlife and the habitat of flora and fauna in our parks.

This is a journey of the Rangers' sacrifice through my eyes.

I was fortunate to spend a few days with the Rhino Protection Ranger team. I had to adapt to their routines very fast. There is no time to entertain visitors, the only visitors they get are the wild animals.

I arrived in the evening, I would spend four days with the Rangers. They live simply. The camp houses the kitchen, bathroom, toilet and their sleeping tents. The convenience of electricity is but a memory.

Their dinner preparations start when the night is still young . Laughter bellows as light moments are shared while waiting for their meal.

We eat in silence. Our only entertainment is the music of the rain as it beats a tune on the iron sheet roofs.

Soon we are ready to hit the sack but this is only for a few, the night patrol must continue. A full night's sleep is a dream, each of them only sleep for an hour at a time. Hourly updates must be given to the central command.

A Ranger and a Driver leave the camp by car. They will patrol their assigned block and report back on any observed activity.

Morning for many Kenyans begins at 5 am when the alarm buzzes and an extra snooze is always welcome as are a few more minutes of warmth. This is a luxury for the Rangers.

The morning always brings new challenges and nature is not always accommodating. Their day begins at 4 am with one of them preparing breakfast while the others clean up and get dressed.

The Rangers start their patrol at 5:30 am in their specific blocks. This is a daily leg patrol that covers over 15 kilometres. On this particular morning the grounds are wet, clogged and muddy making each step difficult but this has to be done. We walk in silence and can only communicate using signs. The air is crisp, fresh and a cold wind batters our skins but the hue of the orange sky excites every breath.

Signs of birds alert the Rangers to possible danger or the presence of animals. At that moment everything around me seems to be moving. My heart pounds heavily in my chest ready to explode. In our path is a herd of buffaloes grazing. This is normal for the Rangers but for me, I hasten my pace but my legs are heavy and ready to give in.

As we walk past the buffaloes they keep charging and every time they try the Rangers hold their ground and make sounds. This seems to work, the buffaloes give in and we walk on past.

After hours of patrol we come across freshly defecated ground. Rhinos have been here. A sigh of joy and relief resounds amongst the Rangers.

Despite their joy I have not sighted any rhinos and just as I am about to give up one of the Rangers stops. He raises his hand and brings all to a halt. He points to our left and there ahead of us, a black rhino grazing. We stop and the Rangers look through their binoculars, each rhino has to be identified and its behaviour noted to establish if it is in good health or not.

The nights were always full of joy and learning. No two nights were the same. On one night buffaloes came into the camp, grazed and by dawn had left. On another night the air vibrated with the roaring of a lion. These are the joys of being in the wild.

Talking to the rangers I find that even in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic they are still full of laughter and giving conservation their all.

We are all home with our loved ones; they can only keep tabs on their children and family through their phones, wishing them the best.

They are a brotherhood forged by the love of conservation as this is not ever one man's job. The love and passion makes them sacrifice everything that we take for granted.