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
Radio at Radio English dot net and find us on Facebook. Just search for Spotlight Radio. Look for our free listening app in the Google Play Store and in iTunes. We hope you can join us again for the next Spotlight program. Goodbye.