Elephant Charge 2020
The Fuchs Elephant Charge 2020 is an extreme 4×4 event supporting wildlife conservation in Zambia. This year it is due to take place on Saturday 26 September. Due to the pandemic the event is still planned to go ahead, but with fewer teams than normal.
What is the Elephant Charge?
The charge is a fun 4×4 off-road competition, testing driving, navigation and endurance skills through the Zambian bush. Teams, either cars or motorbikes, are challenged to compete a gruelling off-road course, with the team with the shortest distance between checkpoints winning.
It is held every year to raise money for local conservation projects, focusing on conservation through education. In the 12 years since it began, it has raised over US $1,031,000 for different local projects. Last year over a million Kwacha (US $139,193) was raised for projects for 11 conservation organisations. This was raised by the 28 teams that took part even though only 20 completed the course.
Who Benefits?
Over the years, 20 Zambian organisations have received funds for their conservation projects. Some are one off projects, whilst others receive support for their ongoing education programs. Local organisations include:
Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust has used funds to support their Education Centre and outreach programs and scholarships.
Birdwatch Zambia used funds to produce educational materials on the importance and conservation of birdlife for both teachers and children, which were distributed to schools across the county.
Conservation Lower Zambezi has received funds to support their conservation education program, reaching over 2,500 children in 56 schools.
The Kasanka Trust has funded school groups to stay at their Education Centre, upgraded law enforcement equipment and even built a bridge to help protect the delicate Bat Forest at Kasanka National Park.
iLearnabout received funds in 2019 to help them develop and pilot preliminary iLearnabout learning modules with key conservation organisations across Zambia.
Conservation South Luangwa uses funds to support their annual Fun Run Day which promotes conservation in the communities surrounding South Luangwa National Park, in which over 3,000 people attend each year. Funds have also been used to support snare removal and anti-poaching patrols in the nearby national park.
The Wildlife Crime Prevention Project received a grant to build boxes for rescued pangolins used before they are released and for a pangolin expert to visit to help train their teams.
You can find information on all the beneficiaries and their projects on the Elephant Charge website.
2020’s Charge
This year 20 teams have entered so far – in normal years there are around 30 teams, some coming from as far away as Kenya. Each team is currently busily fundraising. You can find out more about how they are getting ready for the event on their individual Facebook pages and at www.elephantcharge.org/2020
How to get involved
The competition is open to anyone with a car or motorbike and who is brave enough to take on the challenge! Car teams consist of a vehicle with between two and six passengers, whilst motorbike teams comprise of three to four bikes and riders. Each team has a designated navigator, driver and runners, who scout through the bush to find the shortest route for their vehicles.
The winning team is the one that completes the course of ten checkpoints in the shortest possible distance, but within an 8 hour time limit. With only a map, skill and determination, teams must work out their own routes between checkpoints – through valleys and up escarpments, over ridges and wading across rivers.
The exact location is kept secret until the day before the competition so that teams can only plan their intended route the evening before. Although each checkpoint can be reached by road, the shortest distance is through the bush, trying to avoid hazards such as chasms, peaks and deep rivers. Three of the checkpoints are designated as ‘the Gauntlet’. Although these are close together they include extreme terrain – allowing teams get to show off their driving abilities to watching spectators.
Show your support by spectating on the day
You can find out lots more information about the Elephant Charge on their website – www.elephantcharge.org. Also keep up to date with events, fundraising, information on how to donate to your favourite team and 0to find out the secret location so that you can go along and support the chargers on the day by following their Facebook Page.