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VideoJuly 31, 2018

Elephant Defenders: Rangers in Niassa National Reserve, Mozambique

Poachers have decimated the elephant population in Mozambique’s Niassa National Reserve, but Niassa rangers are determined to prevent the elephants from extinction. In the last few years these rangers have been involved in a war against illegal poachers and criminal gangs that are carrying large-caliber hunting rifles and war AK-47 automatic rifles. Despite the ivory ban in China, poachers continue hunting and killing the remaining elephants in Niassa indiscriminately. This video documents the rangers’ stories of violence, conservation, and courage. The Global Wildlife Program, funded by the Global Environment Facility and led by the World Bank, combats poaching and trafficking across 19 countries in Asia and Africa. Implemented by the Mozambique National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the project aims to upgrade ranger posts and staff accommodation, improve infrastructure, strengthen law enforcement through aerial monitoring, and invest in community-led conservation projects.