As part of its efforts to tighten up safety and security at Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), South African National Parks (SANParks) introduced its new and first-ever Sea, Air and Mountain (SEAM) Special Operations Ranger team at a pass-out parade in Cape Town on Friday, 3 December 2021.
Security to support the ‘area integrity management of Table Mountain National Park’
According to a media release, SANParks said that the team consists of a re-established K9 unit with six fully trained dogs; a specialised operations centre that will support the area integrity management of TMNP.
SANParks Acting CEO, Dumisani Dlamini said, the SEAM Special Operations Rangers is the first of this type of concept envisaged by SANParks and possibly the first team of its kind for protected areas in Africa.
“As a custodian of wildlife and its conservation, we warmly welcome this step as it will provide the much-needed boost to the current team of ranger corps and should be seen as a necessary measure to top-up on our anti-poaching and the fight against crime within the Table Mountain National Park.”
He also said the deployment will be intelligence-driven with visible policing over the festive season to cover some of the TMNPs tourism and recreational hot spots.
“Due to the vast area to be safeguarded, the proximity of the City and the non-gated nature of the Park, the programme is reliant on close cooperation and interaction with other law enforcement agencies and community safety forums for joint pooling of resources and sharing of information.”
Delegates from SANParks, funders, Honorary Rangers, TMNP Park Forum members and representatives from US Fisheries and Wildlife Services, gathered to honour the SEAM Special Operations Rangers and K9 unit at the pass out parade on Friday, 3 December at the Newlands Forest.
