UN honours community anti-poaching unit
ENVIRONMENTAL Affairs minister Edna Molewa congratulated the 26-member Black Mamba anti-poaching unit yesterday for being awarded a United Nations top accolade – the Champions of the Earth award.
“The Black Mambas are a shining example of the [commitment] of government‚ the private sector and communities to eradicating rhino poaching in South Africa,” she said.
“I‚ and all South Africans‚ salute these young women who all come from communities close to the Balule Game Reserve and the Kruger National Park, who have shown dedication and commitment to the conservation of our natural world.”
The unit not only focuses on conducting anti-poaching operations‚ but also educates communities in the area on the benefits of conservation and rhino protection.
“Much has been said of involving communities in conservation,” Molewa said.
“The Department of Envi- ronmental Affairs is achieving this through the Environmental Monitors Programme initiative.”
Through the Expanded Public Works Programme’s environmental monitors‚ a unit like Black Mambas provides additional support to the conservation corps through patrolling and monitoring.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced yesterday that the Black Mambas had won the Champions of the Earth Award in the Inspiration and Action Category.
In announcing the award‚ the UNEP said it had recognised the “rapid and impressive impact the Black Mambas have made in combating poaching and the courage required to accomplish it”.
The award will be handed to the unit by UN secretary-general Ban Ki Moon in New York on September 27.
This will be the second honour for the Black Mambas this year.
On July 27‚ the unit won the Best Conservation Practitioner category of the annual Rhino Conservation Awards‚ hosted by the Department of Environmental Affairs and the Game Rangers Association of Africa.
The unit was established in 2013. The team comprises 25 women and one man drawn from the local community.
Since the unit was deployed at the Balule Game Reserve‚ only four rhino have been poached.
The unit has assisted in the arrest of six poachers.