Major Alice Bromage explains the importance of protecting our rhinos

Major Alice Bromage visited Elstree and shared her experiences of working with the South African anti-poaching unit The Black Mambas.

The Black Mambas are the first majority female anti-poaching unit in the World.  It was founded in 2013 by Transfrontier Africa NPC to protect the Olifants West Region of Balule Nature Reserve. Within a year, the Black Mambas were invited to expand into other regions, and now protect all boundaries of the 52,000ha Balule Nature Reserve, part of the Greater Kruger National Park.

The 14 young women and 1 man involved, not only want to protect the rhinos, but are the voice in the community for all conservation work. Their intention is to promote the benefits of rhino conservation, rather than poaching, to help maintain a safer environment in which to live.

Major Bromage has been providing the Black Mambas with training, and explained to our pupils about the challenges they face. She highlighted the global threat to wildlife that comes from the traditional medicine market, and the work that is going on worldwide to combat it.

Needless to say, the questions raised from our pupils were inquisitive and thought-provoking. Yet not all were quite so enthusiastic when she relayed her stories of snakes and large spiders out in the bush.