Luke Street completes Counter Insurgency Tracker Training

Luke Street, the much-loved photographer at Tanda Tula, has just completed an incredible course in the Timbavati known as a Counter Insurgency Tracker Training. Here, Luke tells his story not only through his beautiful journalistic images but also in his own words. He discusses what the course entailed, why it means so much to him and the importance of doing a course such as this.

Luke's experience

“Conservation and the protection of wildlife is something I am intensely passionate about. So when I got the opportunity to join this course I was beyond excited to see what was in store!

The course focuses on the art of tracking and more specifically on man tracking. At a time when poaching of wildlife in Africa is at an all-time high with multiple daily insurgencies across the continent, it is vital that as many like-minded people as possible get involved. The course focuses not only on tracking and everything that goes into effectively tracking well experienced and intelligent poachers but also on gunshot reporting. This reporting is vital as it can help anti poacher units on the ground respond quickly and accurately to the scene of wildlife crimes, and in so doing affect arrests far more efficiently.

While on course, we were joined by some of the most highly respected men in the industry such as anti-poachers, Kruger National Park section rangers, and tracking specialists. These incredible individuals all shared their wealth of knowledge and gave us a small glimpse into the problems being faced and what is being done at ground level to combat them.

It was a truly inspiring course to have attended, an incredible eye-opener that left me with a solemn feeling that now is the time to stand up. I recommend that anyone with a burning passion for nature and wildlife consider doing this course. It is not for the faint-hearted, but anyone working in conservation will know there are many battles to be fought, none of which are easy.”