Every day, rangers risk their lives to protect wild animals from poaching and other threats. They are not always adequately equippend or even properly trained. This increases the risk of being injured or killed during service. This is where Bryce Clemence, director and trainer of the ATS, comes in: he ensures that the National Park rangers in Zimbabwe are optimally trained, because, without them, the rhinos would not stand a chance. He and his team are responsible for coordinating all anti-poaching efforts in the Savé Valley Conservancy in Southeastern Zimbabwe.

Poaching and related illegal trade in animals and products thereof are part of organized crime, which is very difficult to combat, especially because poachers are increasingly well equipped. In contrast, there the resources for necessary protective measures are usually scarce, which makes the fight against poaching extremely difficult. Therefore, TIR was particulary pleased to receive last years' good news regarding the apprehension of a group of poachers that was responsible for the deaths of countless animals and a number of orphaned young.

This arrest was the result of the careful, efficient, and determined work of Bryce and his team. This year, they were also successful with a new dog unit, which helps the Anti-Poaching Team in their search for traces. Even though they could not catch the poachers, they were at least able to track them down early enough. Without the work by the dedicated team, at least one rhino would now be dead.

TIR would like to thank Bryce Clemence and his team for their extraordinary and devoted work for the protection of rhinos. The work done by ATS is, by the way, a family affair: his wife Lara and his brother Shannon are also active in the fight against poaching. His father Pete supports a Junior Ranger Program, which trains Zimbabwean children in traditional craftsmanship and teaches nature conservation as a core value. TIR is convinced that this is the right approach for sustainable widlife protection.