Tactical Operations

Our innovative work in the field is pioneering new ways of protecting wildlife and catering for the emerging needs of conservation professionals.

Tactical Operations refers to our advanced Field Ranger training, which focuses on teaching the necessary skills and techniques for survival in the field, on the front line of defence for wildlife.  

Field rangers are the first and often last line of defence when poaching incidents occur in protected areas. They have to be dedicated and adequately equipped to deal with the physical and mental demands of the job. Once basic training is in place, Field Rangers undergo tactical skills training to teach them how to effectively manage incidents related to poaching. It focuses on details such as monitoring and tracking in the field, through to the gathering of evidence that ultimately leads to arrest. 

At an advanced level, tactical skills training will increase a Field Ranger’s chance of survival in the event of an armed attack and will ensure that all available energy and resources are used to secure the area, root out corruption and protect wildlife assets.  

Drawing on real-life experience, our Wildlife Guardianship programme as a whole aims to upgrade the skills and capabilities of our Rangers in the field. Our aim is to give Field Rangers the tools to improve area coverage, gather intelligence, detect and combat illegal activities and counter any armed threat while simultaneously developing junior leadership skills. 

Ultimately, Field Rangers graduating from the College should be motivated to grow the capacity of wildlife conservation staff so that more people see themselves as guardians of our natural heritage and wildlife. 

As part of tactical training, the specialised Extended Clandestine Patrols (ECP) course is aimed at increasing the detection rate of poaching attempts and incidents,   As part of the training, participants are taught how to effectively plan their patrols and how to act offensively against armed suspects if required.