Instructor: “Number one?”
Ranger: “Brake.”
Instructor: “Number two?”
Ranger: “Steering.”
Instructor: “Number three?”
Ranger: “Safety belt.”
To give them the skills they need to navigate tough driving conditions while minimising the impact on the natural environment, rangers from Zinave National Park are undergoing a rigorous advanced 4×4 driving course. With rough roads, deep pools and sandy plains, driving around Zinave National Park is not for the faint-hearted.
This course puts rangers in mock scenarios that they might encounter when driving around the national park. The enthusiastic trainer shows them how to conduct thorough safety checks when towing stuck or broken-down 4x4s, techniques for driving in deep sand, and more.
While 4×4 driving is also a popular tourist activity in Zinave National Park, professional driving and knowing how to react in emergencies are essential for effective park maintenance, operations, and anti-poaching patrols. The upskilling of rangers empowers them and ensures that the park runs sustainably, restoring ecosystems, wildlife populations, and ecological connectivity. This is all the more important as Zinave covers more than 408 000 hectares!
The need for rangers skilled in advanced 4×4 driving was highlighted earlier this year when Zinave National Park was battered by the devastating Tropical Storm Freddy, when roads were turned into rivers and fallen trees and muddy terrain made everyday operations extremely difficult. Not only was driving difficult and dangerous, but during the two-month-long storm, the heavy rains cut park staff off from outside help, leaving mechanics unable to access the park to fix and maintain vehicles and other critical equipment. The 4x4s were in serious need of repairs too, as they took a serious beating navigating poor road conditions. Despite the obstacles, Peace Parks Foundation staff and park rangers used their ingenuity and initiative to do the running repairs themselves until further assistance could be brought in.
How do you think these rangers are doing in this intensive training session? Leave your message of support for them in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe to the PeaceParks.TV newsletter to follow the captivating developments that make conservation across the vast Zinave National Park possible.
