Seattle is a boom town. From manufacturing to tech, some of the world's biggest companies have brought jobs and wealth to the region.

But that comes with real growing pains. I'm Joshua McNichols. And I'm Monica Nicholsberg. We host Booming, a podcast that helps you make sense of the economic forces shaping our lives here in the Pacific Northwest.

From the big budget projects on Seattle's to do list to the artificial intelligence age,

we get into the stories that hit your wallet and our region. Listen now on the KUOWW app or wherever you

get podcasts. Hi, wild listeners. Thanks for tuning in. This is going to be a heavy story, but one

worth telling. We'd love to hear from you about what you think of the episode,

and our Patreon community is a great place to share your thoughts.

You can find the link to our Patreon in the show notes.

Okay, enjoy the show.

Before we begin, I just wanted to let you know that there are some disturbing scenes

and the sounds of gunfire in this episode.

So please take care.

I need someone that can do this difficult job out there in that bush. That's what I need. I don't need weakness.

It's 2018 in a training camp in South Africa.

A lineup of terrified-looking young men have just met their drill sergeant, Ruben de Kock.

You are in competition with yourself.

I'm not being tested. I was tested before all of you were born.

Hello, we don't walk here. We run. They are here to go through a brutal selection process

that will test them to their limits, to see if they've got what it takes to put their lives

on the line to protect some of the last remaining rhinos on earth.

If that poacher turns that weapon on him,

the field ranger has to make a life or death decision in a single split second.

...