We’re all relieved that lockdowns are beginning to ease, and people can start planning again. PACE is about sharing Conservation success stories, sharing solutions to common problems between communities across Africa. Finding a way to earn our living is definitely a common problem. For young people in Africa wondering about your future we invite you to consider conservation, the PACE Careers in Conservation module will help you get excited about the future! It shows the great range of employment and types of career that exist in Wildlife Conservation. It illustrates the diversity of backgrounds, interests, educational level, skills and motivations that take people into jobs and careers in conservation.
The Black Mamba’s, a famous anti-poaching unit in South Africa, are just one of the inspiring case studies. The Mambas work for the Department of Environmental Affairs and Transfrontier Africa. Their job is to protect wildlife in the Balue Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park. The Mambas are a majority female team, they patrol the park boundaries, collect intelligence on poachers, check vehicles and buildings for illegal items, search out and remove snares in the bush. They have partner project called The Bush Babies, an environment based education programme for schools and school communities around the National Park.
The Mambas are inspirational educator’s who have become real role models in their communities. They are often invited to tribal functions to parade and speak, and an awesome sign of the respect and impact they have building conservation values at grassroot level is that school attendance is actually highest on days when they are giving their lessons on conservation.
Black Mamba recruits are from local communities. The majority are female. Many of them are young Mums. Most hadn’t traveled far from their home villages and would never have imagined that they could be described as ‘Smart, well-spoken and always looking cool’ yet alone become international role models! Their feature in the PACE Careers in Conservation module has already been shared in schools as widely as Ghana, Cameroon, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
The Mamba rangers were pleased to see themselves in print, we’re thrilled that their Bush Baby partners will also see how highly they are all regarded and be even more motivated to make their own futures in conservation.
Thank you for the dedication and all the work you do Black Mambas and The Bush Babies.