Land Cruisers are widely considered to be nearly indestructible, and last week our ranger unit in Rombo inadvertently put that theory to the test.

It was late in the evening, and the debris, mud, and rising water from the heavy rains trapped the Rombo vehicle as it tried to cross the river near their base. All attempts to extract it were unsuccessful, and they had to leave on foot as the water was steadily rising.

Wearing soggy boots the following morning, they returned to see that the rising river had washed their vehicle downstream. From the photos, it looked like a write-off.

But Toyotas are not to be trifled with, and neither are our mechanics. Our team managed to tow the vehicle out, and remarkably, the prognosis is positive: only a few parts need replacing. With a bit of TLC, it will be back in operation and out on patrol again soon.

Events like this highlight the tough conditions our rangers and outposts often endure. Working on the frontline of wildlife conservation is often dangerous and costly. While it’s impossible to predict when these things happen, we have the experience to move quickly to resolve these challenges.