The Shepherd's Shield Protecting Frontline Rangers

Dear Supporters,

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the men and women protecting Southern Africa’s wildlife. The Shepherd’s Shield programme now actively provides full-time accident insurance coverage for over 350 Animal Protection Unit (APU) rangers across five dedicated operators in Zimbabwe: the Conservation & Wildlife Fund, Friends of Hwange Trust, IMIRE Circle Organisation, Imvelo Safari Lodges, and Painted Dog Conservation.

Safety Milestones and Incident Reporting
We recently launched a Health & Safety Barometer to meticulously track APU ranger incidents. To date, only three incidents have required policy coverage, reflecting an outstanding 99.1% safety record among our covered rangers. While we celebrate this high safety margin, our ultimate operational goal remains zero incidents.

Enhancing Data and Impact Measurement
To strengthen our communication with you, we have formally requested all sponsored APU Operators to submit year-to-date and quarterly activity records. In our next report, we look forward to sharing these critical field metrics, which will include:

• Total kilometers patrolled (broken down by foot and vehicle)

• The exact number of snares located and removed

• The number of poached animals discovered

• Notable rescues and conservation milestones

Funding Updates for 2026 and Beyond
Thanks to a generous part-funding contribution from Africa Geographic, we successfully secured the policy renewal premium for the 2026 period. However, our focus now shifts to the future: we must raise an additional $34,875 to secure the policy renewal of approximately $20,000 for the 2027 period before our current policy expires on July 31, 2027 and to fund the production of community posters, notebooks, and safety gear for the rangers. Your continued support will be vital in helping us bridge this gap and ensure uninterrupted coverage for these frontline heroes.

Recent Program Highlights

• APU Poster: An A2 size educational wall poster has been designed and pre-press material produced. We now need funding for printing 5,000 units onto FSC-certified eco-friendly gloss art paper. These posters will be distributed free of charge to local communities in the regions where our APU Operator rangers work. The aim is to address community appreciation of rangers and mitigate human-wildlife conflict.

• Roll of Honour: In recognition of the vital services extended toward the welfare and protection of wild animals—including responses to snaring, poaching, and fatalities—we initiated a Roll of Honour certificate to formally acknowledge the partners and sponsors who make this programme possible.

• World Ranger Day: On July 31st, we joined the global community across our social media channels to celebrate World Ranger Day, marking the 20th anniversary of this important initiative established by the International Ranger Federation.

• Upcoming Communications: We are currently compiling a dedicated Shepherd’s Shield newsletter, which will be distributed to all stakeholders next quarter to keep you closely connected to the realities on the ground.

Thank you for standing as a shield for those who risk their lives for conservation.