Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Liz Wade and I'm Bruce gulland Spotlight uses a special
English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where
in the world they live. Lots of people say how can you work out
in the wild when you are a woman. But I can do anything I
want. Many other people, especially young women, like us. They want
to join us. I am a woman, I am going to have a
baby. I want my baby to see a rhino. That is why I
am protecting it. Leaita Mikabela said this to The Guardian newspaper. Mikabela is
part of a group in South Africa called the Black Mambas. They work to
protect wild animals, particularly one special animal, the rhinoceros or rhino. Today's
spotlight is on the Black Mambas of South Africa. South Africa is a large
and beautiful country. Like many countries, it has some special areas that are
kept only for nature. People do not live in these game parks or reserves.
The areas are separated to protect the plants and animals there. These include
large elephants, tigers, lions, and many kinds of smaller animals too.
Rhinos also live there. These large gray animals have large pointed horns on their
face. Rhinos are protected by the laws of the country, but people still
hunt them. Some people think that the rhino horn has special powers they will
pay a lot of money for it. Because of this, people illegally kill
or poach rhinos in South Africa's game reserves. Now there are not many rhinos
left. If people do not stop killing them, in ten years, there
will be none. In Kruger National Park in South Africa, the park officials
have worked for a long time to stop poachers. Like other national parks,
they employed mail rangers with guns to patrol the park. These rangers would shoot
or arrest anyone that they found trying to kill the rhinos. The punishment for
poaching a rhino is up to twenty years in prison. There is also a
fine of over one hundred thousand dollars. But even with punishments and armed rangers,
the rate of rhino deaths in Krueger Park was still very high. Authorities
needed another solution to save the rhinos, so they formed a new group in
a nearby area called Belula Nature Reserve. This group has reduced trapping and poaching
in their area seventy six percent. This new force is made up only of
women. They are named the Black Mambers after a deadly kind of snake.
The Black Mambers do not carry guns. Instead, they concentrate on protecting the
animals and natural environment in the park. Sipiue Citole is one of the Black
Mambers. She explains to the Guardian why her group is so important. There
were men rangers carrying guns, but still the rhinos were being killed and lots
of animals were being put I think they said, let us start something and
add women and see what happens. Women are more loyal to their jobs,
so they feel very strongly about what they do. In twenty thirteen, the
park employed twenty six women from the surrounding community. The women come from poor
communities around the park. Before they begin, they receive military training and wildlife
education. They learn methods to follow poacher's footprints and to take apart traps.
Since twenty thirteen, the Mambers have patrolled the metal fence which marks the park
area. They watch for poaches, They remove traps or snares set by poachers,
and they report everything they see. The Mambas also go into the community.
There They educate people, especially children, about protecting animals, and the
women of the Black Mambas have made a big difference. The Guardian says,
in the six months before they began, sixteen rhinos were killed in Bolula.
In the year after the Black Mambas started, only three rhinos were killed.
Sibiwe Citole says, the Black Mambers are winning the war on Puching. We
have zero acceptance of rhino putching and the illegal wildlife trade. The putchers will
fall, but it will not be with guns and bullets. People all over
the world have noticed the Black Mamber's success. The New York Times published pictures
of them. They won an award from the UK Organization Helping Rhinos, and
the UN gave them the Champions of the Earth Prize in twenty fifteen for their
courage. The executive director of the United Nation's Environment Program, Achim Steiner,
said, their many successes are a result of their great courage and strong desire
to make a difference in their community. The Black Members are an inspiration not
only locally but across the world to all those working to stop the ugliness of
the illegal wildlife trade. Winning awards like this shows people that it is possible
to prevent poaching. It also shows local people that the Black Mambers are valuable.
But Felicia Mouhakanae explains, it is about knowing that people in South Africa
love and are thankful for what we are doing. They are so happy that
there are mombas. Some years ago they used to say this job is for
men. Now there are women who are working to protect the wildlife. It
means a lot to us and makes us continue to do our job when we
know that people are behind us supporting us. If I were not doing this,
I would be sitting at home with out a job. Jobs are limited
in South Africa, so this is a big chance for me because I am
able to take care of my family. The Black Mambers are doing important work
to save rhinos, but they are also doing important work in their communities.
They are supporting their families by earning money, and people respect and honor them
because of the work that they do. The Black Mambers show that communities and
nature can work together. They bring hope for both people and animals in sound
South Africa. We close our program today with the words of another member,
Collette Engelbaini, who shares her hope for the future. If we work together
as a community, we can solve this problem. People need to open their
minds and their hearts. It is not about money, it is about our
culture, our future. The writer of this program was Na Dam The producer
was Michio Ozaki. The voices you heard were from the United States and the
United Kingdom. All quotes were adapted for this program and voiced by Spotlight.
You can listen to this program again and read it on the internet at www
dot Radio English dot net. This program is called Black Mamba's Women Protecting South
Africa. You can also leave a comment on our website or email us at
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in iTunes. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.