The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit (Black Mamba APU) is the world's first officially-formed, registered and recognised all-female wildlife ranger unit, founded in 2013, with the purpose of protecting wildlife in the regions of the Olifants West Nature Reserve, and the

buffer zone A buffer zone, also historically known as a march, is a neutral area that lies between two or more bodies of land; usually, between countries. Depending on the type of buffer zone, it may serve to separate regions or conjoin them. Common types o ...

in the Greater Kruger of South Africa. The Black Mamba APU was awarded the ''Champions of the Earth'' Award, in 2015, by the

United Nations Environment Program The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on ...

(UNEP). In the period between 2013 and 2022, the Black Mamba APU has won 10 International awards, for innovative approach to wildlife conservation.

About

The unit was created by Craig R. Spencer, the current warden of Olifants West Nature Reserve, and Amy Clark from Transfrontier Africa. The group started out with six members. The Unit is named after the deadly snake, the

black mamba The black mamba (''Dendroaspis polylepis'') is a species of highly venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. It is native to parts of sub-Saharan Africa. First formally species description, described by Albert Günther in 1864, it is ...

snake (''Dendroaspis polylepis''). There are currently forty two staff members in the Black Mamba APU team, with thirty five of them being women rangers. Each member spends 21 days a month patrolling the reserves. They start each day, military style, with a parade and then issued orders before patrols leave on their missions. Each of the rangers is trained in

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and

combat Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...

, but work unarmed: they protect the animals by creating a "visible police presence, like a British

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." The Mambas come from the local communities near the Greater Kruger area. For many Black Mambas, becoming a ranger has become big step in life, right after high school. The Unit had been part of the nationwide ''Environmental Monitor'' program, that received 30% subsidy from the

Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environmental Affairs Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. Due to internal financial issues, the department stopped the subsidy in March 2022. From April 2022, Transfrontier Africa NPC relies solely on fundraising, grants, and donations to support the project. Currently, a newly formed ''Black Mamba Alliance'', which consists of a group of companies, sponsor 100% of the salaries of The Black Mambas, and its sister project The Bush Babies Environmental Education Program. The unit assisted with several arrests of

poachers Poaching is the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set against the hunti ...

, shut down five poacher camps, and reduced

snaring Animal trapping, or simply trapping or ginning, is the use of a device to remotely catch and often kill an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including for meat, fur/feathers, sport hunting, pest control, and wildlife man ...

of wildlife in the areas of deployment by 62% within its first year of deployment. The Mambas are trained to find and remove snares before animals are trapped in them. During 2015, there was a period of ten months during which no

rhinos A rhinoceros ( ; ; ; : rhinoceros or rhinoceroses), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates (perissodactyls) in the family Rhinocerotidae; it can also re ...

were poached at all. At first people were sceptical that "women could do this traditionally male job and be good at it." Now, within their communities, the Black Mambas have become village heroes. Photographer Julia Gunther, who has been documenting the Black Mambas APU, says of the women that "For all of them, the love for nature and its conservation runs deep. Their ethos is to protect this heritage of wildlife." The rangers not only face dangers from poachers, but also from large wildlife; Ranger Siphiwe Sithole said, "I don't know when I am going to face a lion." Another member, Leitah Mkhabela, said regarding poachers, "I am not afraid. I know what I am doing and why I am doing it." In July 2015, the Black Mamba APU won the ''Best Conservation Practitioner'' category in the South African Rhino Conservation Awards. Later that year, they won the ''Champions of the Earth Award'' from UNEP. In June 2023, Leitah Mkhabela joined a delegation of rangers and film crew members at the private premiere of the documentary ''

Rhino Man ''Rhino Man'' is a feature-length documentary about South African field rangers protecting rhinos from poaching by crime syndicates. It's a film by the Global Conservation Corps produced by Friendly Human and directed by John Jurko II, Matt Li ...

'', hosted by

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and his

United for Wildlife The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales is an independent United Kingdom-based charity which supports the non-profit work of the William, Prince of Wales, Prince and Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess of Wales. Established ...

conservation network. Leitah represented women rangers on this international platform, showcasing the work of the Black Mambas.

Awards won

The unit has won the following awards: * 2023 - Best Field Ranger (Sergeant Nkateko Letti Mzimba) by African Conservation Awards * 2022 - Pioneers with Purpose by

Scientific Exploration Society Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

, UK * 2022 - Highly Commended Ranger Team by

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the status ...

* 2021 - Highly Commended Ranger (Sergeant Nkateko Mzimba) by

* 2020 - Ranger of the Year (Supervisor Leitah Mkhabela) by the

International Paradise Foundation International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

, China * 2020 - Earth Care Award by the

Sierra Club The Sierra Club is an American environmental organization with chapters in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded in 1892, in San Francisco, by preservationist John Muir. A product of the Pro ...

, USA * 2019 - Resilient Efforts Through Cultural Diversity and Environmental Sensitivity by

Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council Global may refer to: General *Globe, a spherical model of celestial bodies *Earth, the third planet from the Sun Entertainment * ''Global'' (Paul van Dyk album), 2003 * ''Global'' (Bunji Garlin album), 2007 * ''Global'' (Humanoid album), 198 ...

* 2019 - Change Maker in Tourism Craig R. Spencer by

* 2017 - Eco-Warrior Silver Award * 2015 - Champions of the Earth by the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...

* 2015 - Best Conservation Practitioner of the Year by Rhino Conservation Award

References

{{Reflist

External links

Official site

Black Mambas: Saving the Rhino
(video) 2013 establishments in South Africa Nature conservation in South Africa Organizations established in 2013 Environmental organisations based in South Africa Poaching

About

Awards won

See also

References

External links