Wardens.

This is coolbert:

“To horse lancers, to horse!!” - - Sergeant Garcia - - “Zorro”

Recent edition of the National Geographic has an article describing the difficulties faced by a horse-mounted group of game wardens in the Central African Republic.

Game wardens who can only be described as belonging to a para-military unit.

Game wardens whose role is to protect the LAST large herd of African elephants on the continent. A herd which numbered 300,000 in 1970 but has been reduced to only 10,000 today. Reduced in number by poachers on horseback firing AK-47.

[in case you are curious, it takes about thirty to forty rounds from an AK to bring down a grown elephant.]

A unit of game wardens, patrolling a vast expanse of the African savanna on horseback, that from all appearances resemble what a patrol of Texas Rangers must have looked like in the 1840’s.

With the exception that these game wardens are dressed in desert camouflage BDU uniform, wearing the headdress of the Tuareg, and ARE CARRYING AK-47 ALSO. PARA-MILITARY!!



This part of the world, where Sudan, Chad, and the Central African Republic come together, is one of the most dangerous locales you can find anywhere.

This “conflict” between the game wardens/rangers and the poachers can only be described as a no-holds-barred type of warfare. When contact is made, a shoot-out WILL HAPPEN! Again, persons that not so long ago were in the bow and arrow stage of weapon development now have available to them the latest assault weaponry with an abundance of ammo at their disposal. AND ARE NOT HESITANT TO USE THAT WEAPONRY EITHER!!

There are a LOT OF ADVANTAGES TO USING HORSES IN THIS SITUATION!!

The Central African Republic is a very poor country. Cannot afford motorized vehicles to equip the game wardens with. And THERE ARE NO ROADS ANYHOW for motorized vehicles to use, even if they were available.

[the terrain resembles the eastern part of Oklahoma? Grass land interspersed with stand of trees. As best as I can describe it. But, more or less road less!]

Horses are quiet [useful when finding “sign” and having to track a band of poachers], self-sustaining while in the field, commensurate with the terrain. AND, from the standpoint of the government, CHEAP!

coolbert.