Did you know that thirty thousand African elephants are poached every year due to the value of their ivory in the black market? And two to three rhinos are killed every day? Without the help of veterans at VETPAW and similar organizations, this incredible wildlife may already be extinct. Veterans believe elephants and rhinos have as much the right to live as humans and any other species.
Why Are Veterans Committed To Wildlife Preservation?
Thanks to veterans’ on-field war knowledge, they can share their combat skills with park rangers and help them be well prepared against poachers’ threats. The aim is not to promote poachers’ killing, but to teach rangers how to protect themselves and the lives of those working towards the same cause.
Veterans serve as the right way of intimidating poachers and let them know they are a formidable presence to protect and stand for these endangered animals’ rights.
Veterans who take on this adventure are very committed to this incredible cause. They are highly skilled individuals nobly driven towards providing the right tools to park rangers, and training them along the way. The key is to work together and raise awareness around the community.
Preserving wildlife is not a matter of duty but a matter of delivering passion. Once you are a true witness to this injustice, it’s tough not to commit and strive to give your share for the protection of such huge but still powerless animals.
What Is VETPAW?
VETPAW stands for Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife. Our mission is to train park rangers and support their community. Our contribution to this wildlife involves:
- Land navigation/orienteering
- Mission planning
- Patrolling principles
- Information collection
- Partner building
- Partner training
- Advanced critical thinking
- Critical situation decision-making
We are a group of post-9/11 veterans, so we have lived the experience of saving lives and caring for others while being in extreme danger. These animals are our true passion, and helping them through our knowledge is our sincere commitment.