14 DAY TRIAL // 25 British soldiers now find themselves in Kenya, and are expected to spend to following few weeks training local wildlife rangers and teaching them the best tactics to tackle poachers and keep them from slaughtering elephants and rhinos.
The British troops are presently stationed some 200 miles (about 322 kilometers) north of Nairobi, and the rangers they are to train all work with the Kenyan Wildlife Service, the Kenyan Forestry Service and the Mount Kenya Trust.
“Illegal poaching is having a devastating effect on some of the world’s most iconic species. By joining forces with those on the frontline in Kenya, our armed services will be able to provide training and support to the courageous people who put their lives on the line every day,” Environment Secretary Owen Paterson commented on the importance of this collaboration.
“This is an excellent example of the British Army taking positive action on an issue close to many people’s hearts. The 25 soldiers will be making an immense contribution to securing the future of some of the world’s most endangered species,” added Brigadier Duncan Francis.
Daily Mail tells us that, by helping rangers be better prepared to deal with poachers, the soldiers will also help curb terrorist acts.
This is because the hunters that rangers in this part of the world have to deal with are guilty of using the money they obtain from illegally marketing rhino horns and elephant tusks to fund Al Shabaab, a group linked to Ail Qaeda.
The same source details that, in the year 2012, these poachers killed not just 38,000 elephants, but also 60 wardens, which is why it is of utmost importance that rangers learn how to stop them.
Besides sending troops to train rangers in Kenya, the UK has also sent a British prosecutor to this country. The British prosecutor is to advise local law enforcement officers with respect to the best ways to take legal measures against poachers and the people they work with.
Prince Charles and Prince William, who are dead set on ending poaching, both support this collaboration between British troops and rangers in Kenya.