Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit

The Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit (Black Mamba APU) is a mostly female ranger unit founded in 2013 with the purpose of protecting wildlife in South Africa, mainly in the regions of the Balule Nature Reserve and the Greater Kruger National Park. The Black Mamba APU was awarded the Champions of the Earth Award in 2015 by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP).

Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit
AbbreviationBlack Mamba APU
Named afterBlack mamba
Formation2013
FounderCraig Spencer, Amy Clark
TypeNon-governmental organisation
Purposeconservation and education
Region
South Africa
Staff
approximately 30
Websitehttp://www.blackmambas.org/

About

The Black Mamba APU was created by Craig Spencer, the head warden of Balule Nature Reserve[1] and Amy Clark from Transfrontier Africa.[2] The group started out with six members.[3] There are currently twenty-six members of the Black Mamba APU,[4] which is named after the deadly snake, the black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis).[5] Twenty-four members of the Black Mambas are women and each member spends 21 days a month patrolling the reserves.[6] They start each day, military style, with a parade and then issued orders before patrols leave on their missions.[2] Each Black Mamba is outfitted in ranger uniforms, trained in tracking and combat, but work unarmed: they protect the animals by creating a "visible police presence, like a British bobby."[1]

Members are all part of local communities surrounding the Balule Reserve and Greater Kruger national park.[1] For many Black Mambas, this is their first job after high school.[2] Wages come out of an environmental protection fund and non-labor costs, such as uniforms, are donated.[2]

Black Mamba APU has already arrested six poachers, shut down five poacher's camps and reduced snaring of wildlife by 76% since 2013.[4] The Mambas are trained to find and remove snares before animals are captured.[6] During 2015, there was a period of time lasting ten months when no rhinos were poached at all.[6]

At first people were skeptical that "women could do this traditionally male job and be good at it."[2] Now, within their communities, the Black Mambas have become village heroes.[1] 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."[6] The rangers not only face dangers from poachers, but also from large wildlife. Siphiwe Sithole, said "I don't know when I am going to face a lion."[5] Another member, Leitah Mkhabela, said regarding poachers, "I am not afraid. I know what I am doing and why I am doing it."[7]

In July 2015, the Black Mamba APU won the Best Conservation Practitioner category in the South African Rhino Conservation Awards.[8] Later that year they won the Champions of the Earth Award from UNEP.[4][7]

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References
  1. Barbee, Jeffrey (26 February 2015). "World's First All-Female Patrol Protecting South Africa's Rhinos". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  2. Hahn, Julia (30 March 2015). "'Black Mambas' on South African Rhino Patrol". DW. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  3. "Help Us To Stop the Slaughter". Transfrontier Africa. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  4. Iyengar, Rishi (10 September 2015). "The Black Mambas, a Mostly Female Anti-Poaching Force, Have Won a Top U.N. Environmental Award". Time. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  5. Epatko, Larisa (10 September 2015). "'Black Mamba' Female Rangers Awarded for Anti-Poaching Efforts". PBS. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  6. Frank, Priscilla (10 September 2015). "Meet The Black Mambas, South Africa's Majority-Female Anti-Poaching Unit". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  7. "Mostly Female Anti-Poaching Unit From South Africa Wins Top UN Environmental Prize". UN News Centre. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
  8. "Winners announced for the Rhino Conservation Awards". Africa Geographic. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2015.
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