Four-Legged Guardians

31mm, 1/250s, f/8, ISO250

My conservation and travel photography don’t always mix quite so readily as at Akagera National Park. Miha had asked me to spend some time here when the Gorilla Highlands region expanded to include all of Rwanda, and African Parks — the NGO in charge of the park — wondered if I could help them get some photos of their rangers.

Canine units like this one are perhaps the best tool we have against illegal wildlife trade after positive relationships with nearby communities. Dogs can follow tracks at a much faster pace than people, and that’s what they’re there for: tracking and apprehending suspected poachers. As a result of these ranger units and very close collaboration with the people who live near the park, human-wildlife conflict is exceptionally low around Akagera. It’s Rwanda’s only savanna park, with plenty of plains game like lions, zebras, buffaloes and elephants, and well worth a visit.

Don’t miss our extensive interview with Marcus and head to his website for even more.