Rwanda Rangers Secure Landmark Win at 2025 Wildlife Ranger Challenge

Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association (RWCA) rangers have secured a historic victory in the 2025 Wildlife Ranger Challenge, Africa’s largest annual celebration of wildlife rangers.

RWCA’s men’s team took first place in the men’s category, while the women’s team earned third place in the women’s competition, marking the first time Rwanda has achieved such distinction at the continental event.

The challenge, organised by conservation charity Tusk, drew more than 170 ranger teams from 24 African countries. Competitors faced a grueling 21-kilometre race while carrying heavy backpacks, 22kg for men and 10kg for women, designed to simulate the physical and mental strain of frontline conservation work.

On September 20, RWCA’s teams took to the rugged terrain around Rugezi Marsh in northern Rwanda. The men’s trio crossed the finish line in 2 hours 14 minutes, securing victory, while the women’s team clocked 2 hours 49 minutes to claim third place.

“This victory is not just for our team but for every Community Ranger working to protect Rugezi Marsh and our Grey Crowned Cranes,” said Jean Paul Munezero, RWCA’s ranger coordinator. “It shows that the discipline, dedication, and teamwork we apply in the field every day can achieve extraordinary results on the international stage.”

Beyond the Race

Launched in 2020, the Wildlife Ranger Challenge has raised more than $21 million for ranger welfare, training, equipment and insurance. It also helps conservation organisations fundraise and apply for grants to sustain their fieldwork.

RWCA has been working at Rugezi Marsh, in collaboration with REMA and other stakeholders, since 2015 to strengthen the management and protection of this important area for Grey Crowned Cranes and all its diversity.

RWCA employs 75 community rangers recruited from villages near the marsh. They patrol against illegal logging, livestock grazing and grass cutting while educating residents on the ecological value of the wetland.

For RWCA, the victory underscores years of community-based conservation around Rugezi Marsh, a Ramsar-listed wetland that is home to a growing population of Grey Crowned Cranes. Once threatened by illegal trade and habitat loss, the cranes have seen their numbers rise from 71 in 2017 to 351 in 2025, a quarter of Rwanda’s national population.

“Our Community Rangers are guardians of wildlife and leaders in their communities,” said Monique UMUTONI, RWCA’s Rugezi Marsh project manager. “Their success in the Wildlife Ranger Challenge mirrors the success we see at Rugezi Marsh, where conservation efforts have led to a thriving Grey Crowned Crane population. This achievement is recognition of Rwanda’s community-driven conservation model.”

As RWCA celebrates its continental victory, the organisation hopes the spotlight will inspire more support for rangers across Africa, who continue to stand on the frontlines of protecting wildlife and ecosystems.