WP Scout Courses | Anti-Poaching AP4D

Wildlife Protection
Scout
training courses
"Recces against poaching"

Becoming a WP Scout

The WP Scout courses develop the student into an expert in the recconnaissance of large wilderness areas on the search for poachers and traces of poaching.

WP Scouts are most important because they are the eyes and ears in anti poaching.

A Non firearm unit

Due to time issues, in the WP Scout courses we do not train the students in the use of firearms and in sophisticated crime-fighting tactics. This is why graduates are only qualified to make more “simple” arrests or interrogations. - Nevertheless, in some regions and by some organizations, only WP Scouts, without firearms, are required or requested.

TRAINING SUBJECTS

The Namibian law

Generally, job and training of the WP scouts are based on the Namibian laws for the protection of nature and wildlife on private, state or communal land. - Knowledge of all the necessary legal paragraphs forms the basis of their work and is a focus in all AP4D's training courses

Natural science

is also an important aspect for the WP scouts. In order to best fulfill their functions, they must know the plants and animals, as well as animal behavior, and be able to "read" the bush.

Tracking & reconnaissance specialists

WP scouts are to detect, observe, pursue and report suspicious occurences, suspects and offenders by scouting and tracking. For this purpose, the WP scouts are using reconnaissance tactics, mobile by patrols and tracking teams as well as static from (changing) covered observation points. Observation, search tactics and especially superior tracking skills are of utmost importance.

AP4D is also intending to incooperate the use of drones to support the reconnaissance in their training programs.

Arresting of suspects

The WP scouts are equipped for self-protection only with simple weapons (e.g. traditional weapons), not with firearms. They should therefore only detect armed poachers, observe them and report to the intensively trained Wildlife Protection (WP) Officers, WP Ranger or police for back-up.

Because their intelligence gathering duties are the basis for every further measure against wildlife and nature crime, WP scouts are of essential importance in the fight against poaching.

Nevertheless, WP Scouts should be able to carry out arrests themselves in all minor cases in which arrests are legally necessary and must be trained in such techniques.

Health & Safety (Survival) Training

Wilderness Survival Training

Wilderness survival skills are a basic requirement to complete the demanding tasks of a WP scout. The WP scouts must feel home in the wilderness so that they can stay on duty for many days without stress and fatique.

Animal Danger Survival Training

As part of their work, the WP scouts repeatedly come into contact with potentially dangerous animals. In their health and safety training, they must therefore learn how to control these dangers in such a way that risks can be minimized.

Crime+Terror Survival Training

The job of WP scouts can be dangerous, as they work in areas where potentially violent criminals are on the move. Therefore, their health & safety training consists of:

- SERE, a combination of wilderness survival, evasion, resistance and escape tactics. The scout should avoid any dangerous confrontation whenever possible.

- Self-Defense: WP Scouts avoid contact with armed suspects but must observe and control people who appear unarmed as part of their work. Since these people can suddenly become violent and even carry concealed weapons, WP Scouts must be trained in unarmed self-defense and must also be able to use their simple defense weapons in private defense to protect their life and health.

First Aid / Search & Rescue Training

There are many sources of danger that can lead to injuries in the work of the WP Scouts. Therefore, they must be able to reliably provide first aid to both themselves and their team colleagues. In addition, they must be able to search for and locate injured or missing colleagues (or others, e.g. tourists) and evacuate them to safety.

Course structure

The WP scout courses offered by AP4D gives newcomers to wildlife protection / anti-poaching the most important basics of his work - and that is "scouting"!

The course is certified, whereby a minimum score of 60% must be achieved to pass.

After completing this course, the participant can take the next step to become in his career to become a >> Wildlife Protection Ranger.

Qualifications

By completing the WP Scout course, graduates can start working as a qualified scout in wildlife protection.

In addition, such an excellently trained WP Scout also has the qualifications to work as a field guide, tracker in tourism or as a hunting tracker.

Further career

After completing the WP Scout course, the participant can take the next step on the career ladder by participating in the AP4D >> Wildlife Protection Ranger Training Courses.

As a WP Ranger certified by AP4D, the graduate has an extremely high qualification level that cannot be achieved through any other training institution in Namibia.