Protecting the Big 5 in South Africa

To our incredible community of Wildlife Guardians,

I’m reaching out with an update that is truly a testament to the resilience of the animals we work so hard to protect. As we move through our 20th year at Action Change, we are constantly reminded that nature has a way of throwing challenges our way—but it also has a way of showing us its incredible strength.

Following on from our update in November, things have been a bit of a whirlwind. Many of you saw the news about the recent devastating floods in the region. It was a challenging and high-stakes time for our teams on the ground as we worked to ensure our wildlife stayed safe during the rising waters. But, in the middle of the stress, we witnessed something absolutely amazing—our cats (and even the rhinos!) have adapted in ways that blew us away. We actually saw our big cats learning to swim to navigate the new landscape! It’s been a powerful reminder that these animals are fighters, and they will do whatever it takes to survive if we give them the space and protection to do so.

Now that the waters have receded, the work is more urgent than ever. The floods have shifted boundaries, damaged fences, and changed the movement patterns of the animals, which means our anti-poaching teams and camera trap monitors are working overtime to keep eyes on our high-risk residents.

This is where we have a massive opportunity to boost our impact!

I am so excited to invite you to join us for the upcoming GlobalGiving Little by Little campaign from March 17th to the 20th. This is a huge moment for our wildlife project because every new donation under $50 will be 50% matched while funds last.

Here is how your support bridges the gap during this campaign:

• $15 turns into $22.50, which funds food for our sniffer dogs who are back on the trail tracking poachers.

• $50 turns into $75, which covers the monthly GPS and WiFi subscriptions for our camera traps—vital for monitoring those "swimming" cats and our rhinos in this new terrain.

Please save the date and share this story with your friends and family. The world has been a bit "scary and unknown" lately, and we’ve felt that in our fundraising, but seeing these animals adapt and overcome gives us so much hope. Together, we can make sure they have the protection they need to keep thriving, no matter what the weather throws at them.

Thank you for being the heart of this project for two decades. We’re back, we’re focused, and with your help, we’re going to make a massive impact in 2026!