Tactical Refresher Training Underway at Ol Jogi

Before dawn breaks across Laikipia, parts of Ol Jogi are already awake. Boots strike the dust in a steady rhythm, radios hum to life, and ranger teams disappear into the landscape carrying heavier packs than usual.

Recently, 31 members of Ol Jogi’s National Police Reserve (NPR) team undertook an intensive Tactical Refresher Course facilitated by Guy Rendall and the 51 Degrees training team. The training was made possible through the support of Yorkshire Wildlife Park Wildlife Foundation, facilitated by long-term conservation partner Save the Rhino International. The last refresher training of this scale took place in 2024. While the programme is intended to run annually, funding constraints following cuts to a US Fish and Wildlife Service grant meant that last year’s course could not take place. This year’s training, therefore, represented an important opportunity to refresh critical skills, strengthen operational readiness, and ensure ranger teams continue to operate at the highest possible standard.

From the outside, conservation is often imagined through wildlife sightings, sweeping landscapes, and the visible beauty of protected spaces. Less often seen is the preparation, discipline, and operational readiness required behind the scenes to keep those landscapes secure.

The course covered a broad range of critical field skills, including patrol procedures, weapon handling, navigation, first aid, CASEVAC protocols, scene-of-crime management, follow-up procedures, reactive operations, and counter-ambush drills. The exercises were physically demanding and mentally intense, designed to simulate the kinds of high-pressure situations rangers may face in real life. But beyond the tactical skills, the training reflects something much larger about modern conservation itself.

At Ol Jogi, ranger teams are responsible for far more than wildlife protection. Every day, they help safeguard ecosystems, support neighbouring communities, monitor endangered species, respond to emergencies, and maintain the stability of an entire landscape. In an increasingly complex conservation environment, continuous training is essential, not only to strengthen operational effectiveness but also to ensure the safety and confidence of the teams working in the field.

Watching the exercises unfold, what stood out most was both the precision of the drills and the commitment behind them. There was discipline, focus, and professionalism, alongside camaraderie, humour between sessions, and the sense of pride that comes from people deeply invested in their work.

The training also reflected the strength of collaboration within the conservation sector. Yorkshire Wildlife Park Wildlife Foundation has been a valued supporter of Ol Jogi for several years, contributing to initiatives including support for Bella Mantella (Ol Jogi’s current orphaned rhino, who has been successfully rehabilitated and will be rewilded soon) and programmes focused on rhino conservation. When ranger refresher training was identified as a priority on Ol Jogi’s conservation wishlist, the Foundation stepped forward to help make it possible.

Their support was facilitated through Save the Rhino International, which has supported Ol Jogi’s conservation efforts for more than six years. The partnership has had a significant impact on rhino conservation across the conservancy and proved particularly important during the Covid-19 period, helping facilitate critical grants and conservation funding.

Conservation at this level is never the work of a single department. Training weeks like this rely on collaboration across the conservancy. The hospitality team ensured that Guy and the training staff were well looked after throughout the course; procurement worked hard behind the scenes to secure all necessary supplies on time; and the security operations team coordinated the logistics required to keep the training running smoothly.

Together, it serves as an important reminder that effective conservation is built on passion, preparation, discipline, teamwork, adaptability, and a willingness to continually improve. Behind every protected landscape stands a team constantly training, learning, and refining their skills in the service of wildlife and community. At Ol Jogi, protecting wildlife means continually investing in the people who protect it.