National Park After Dark - Carrying the Torch ft. Leitah Mkhabela of the Black Mambas

Episode Date: December 30, 2024

Today we are joined by Leitah Mkhabela of the Black Mambas - the world's first officially formed, registered and recognized all-women anti-poaching unit that operates within Greater Kruger National Park. She highlights the importance of educating and inspiring the next generation to care for our wild world and how her life is a reflection of one of her greatest teachers - her cousin Anton Mzimba.Justice for Anton - sign the petition, donate to the cause and learn more about the movement to bring Anton’s killers to justice HERELearn more about the Black Mambas HERE and support the Bush Babies HEREFor a full list of our sources, visit npadpodcast.com/episodesFor the latest NPAD updates, group travel details, merch and more, follow us on npadpodcast.com and our socials:Instagram: @‌nationalparkafterdarkTikTok: @‌nationalparkafterdarkSupport the show by becoming an Outsider and receive ad free listening, bonus content and more on Patreon or Apple Podcasts. Want to see our faces? Catch full episodes on our YouTube Page!Thank you to this week’s partners!Liquid IV: Use code NPAD at checkout to get 20% off you first order.Sierra Club: Book your 2025 trip today at sierraclub.org/outings, and use code NPAD to get $100 off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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We have a very exciting interview to share with you today. Yeah, we're really excited. This is definitely a, if you're in a woman empowerment mood this morning or whenever you're listening to this podcast, this is your episode because this is a very inspiring one. Today, we are speaking with Leita Mkabela, the supervisor for the Black Mamba's anti-poaching unit. Founded back in 2013, the Black Mambas are the world's first officially for registered and recognized all women anti-poaching unit that operates within the Greater Kruger National Park area that works to combat poaching through both physical patrols and community

engagement efforts. The Black Mambas act as the first line of defense against wildlife criminals. Their peaceful community-focused efforts allow them to detect suspicious activity early. And on their foot patrols, they search for snares, human footprints, and other indicators of poaching activity. And when they find evidence of illegal activities, they are the first to report it and call in for backup. Leita also has a close connection to the Rhino Man documentary, which we have done several episodes on with director John Jerko. Leita's cousin was Ranger Anton Mzimba, who served as a powerful mentor in her journey

to becoming a ranger in what has traditionally been a very male-dominated occupation. Her cousin Anton was murdered for protecting Kruger National Park from Rhino poachers. And if you'd like to hear more about his story, we're going to talk about it in-depth today as well, but we did two episodes on it already on our podcast on episodes 92 and 185. Over the years, Leita has accomplished so much dedicating her career and much of her life to wildlife protection advocacy, community outreach programs, and charitable organizations. Her position in the Black Mambas and their commitment to conservation, education, and women empowerment is really inspiring.

And we are so excited and honored to speak with her today. And before we get into it, we talk a lot about the community outreach programs that Lita is involved in. And one of them is called the Bush Baby program. And that program has a lot to do with going out into community schools and teaching and doing different outreach programs with the youth in the Greater Kruger National Park area. And we just were so inspired by that work and her involvement in it that we decided this gifting season, we were wrapping. up December. But in the spirit of gifting, we are going to be donating to the Bush Baby Foundation this year. Since every year we try and pick a different organization to contribute to, the Bush Babies will be getting our support this season. So if at the end of this episode, if you feel inspired to do the same or want to get involved in the Justice for Anton movement or any of the other

topics that we speak about, you can find the links in the episode description. Yes, exactly. And And without further ado, let's get into this conversation because it is a really, really exciting one with a lot of important information. So without further ado, let's welcome Leita to National Park After Dark. Welcome Leita to National Park After Dark. We're so excited to have you here today. And thank you so much for taking the time to be here. Thank you so much for welcoming me. And it's a pleasure that I'll be talking with you today about my journey.

and Anton's being part of my life and myself being a ranger. Thank you so much. I appreciate the invitation. Yeah, thank you so much. We're so excited that John got us all connected and we're excited to, we've talked about Anton on the show a couple of times before. We're really excited to be able to talk to you further about it. And of course, your career as a Black Mamba, which you've been doing since 2014, so for over a decade now. And we just wanted to ask, how did you get started on this career path? And can you tell us a little bit about what Black Mambas do? Thank you so much. So it started when I was a young girl in Julie High School.

I was born and raised in a village called Fulwakani, very close to Maniali to Gim Reserve. So I didn't have an opportunity of seeing any mass at an early age due to not having relative who was working in the game reserve and not having enough funds to go and do the drives when like in September it's uh you you don't pay when you want to go and drive inside Kruger for like four days so I've joined the Tim Bhavati Foundation when I was in grades eight at Timbrillo High School and you know when we go to school there was a time around two-hout-lock every day where we would start to study. And I felt like, it's too hard, and there's a lot of us in one class,

and always there's something else that I can do. And then I saw these people going behind the classes, and I was like, what are they doing that side? And I went there and just to investigate or see what they're doing. And I found that they're busy with a gardening, planting veggies, and I've asked what's happening here, and then they gave me more explanation, and I do. And for the good benefit of me joining it is that I got to get into a trip in holidays where I went to the Timbavati Foundation.

So I was in my high school. That was the first time I saw the beautiful giant elephants. I was already old to see it in that time. So it was so amazing looking at the huge elephant. And, you know, with those huge elephants. task and the triangle was like, wow. So I was so impressed and so excited to see this beautiful creation for the first time in my life. And by that time, I didn't know anything about poaching. So I got to learn about it at the foundation. And yeah, like there was something in me from the trip

that I came back home with. I started loving nature. I just wanted to find myself very close to this beautiful animals and because I've seen what's happening inside the reserve it was like wow it's you know it's beautiful seeing the rivers seeing the lions and the rhinos it was so amazing so I went home and I kept talking about it for quite a long time with my friends like the experience was not passing my mind so I started a nitric how when I finish my Metrieg, that's when I'm going there, the Black Mamba. Didn't have enough funds to go to Vassity. And after a year, then I've heard about the post

where a game reserving all the Fad Waste was looking for 20 girls to join the Black Mamba project. And I heard it from one of my colleagues who was my classmate and she gave me more information about it and then I applied. The time that I applied, I kept in touch with Anton because I knew he was a ranger and becoming a black member was that I'm going to be a ranger. So I asked, I've applied for this post. They want ladies to work as rangers, but I don't understand. You are armed and they're telling us that we're not going to be armed.

How is it going to work? Am I going to be safe? And then he took me through the journey of becoming a ranger, the training that you're going to go through, the challenges that you will go through. and the exciting of being a ranger. So I did like it because I really had a bit of knowledge about the bush that I've gained when I was in high school at the Mavadai Foundation. So, yeah, I got a call that I have to go for interview. I passed the interview.

And then it told me I will have come back for training, where I stayed in the bush for survival for three weeks. It was a hard training, but it was worth it. So, you know, I was just a rural girl who is used to wake up when the chicken are making noise, and now I have to wake up when I hear a lion roar, just five ten meters away from me. So that was a huge change in my life, and the training was very hard. There was a time where I felt like, it's not for me. It's not for me.

I should just quit and do the other careers that everybody is doing, becoming a teacher, and Ness, police, and the traffic. But the words of motivation and words of advice that I've got from Antoin kept me going through the hard training. Because, you know, when you go no training, you don't go with your phone. But because whatever he told me was stuck in my mind, I kept on thinking of it. Like, he said that you can do it.

If you, if I did it, you. you're also going to do it. We're coming from their same grandfather. And we will have a family of Rangers. So it told me that I am strong enough. He told me that I'm brave enough as a woman to do this. And because he told me you'll be the first female, Andy Poaching, I was like, wow, I'm going for it.

So every time I felt like, oh, I can't do it anymore. His weights kept motivating me. And yeah, I did it. I did my training. and I passed very well till to where I am today. His motivation has been waging on me. And every time that I come across the challenges in the project, in the Black Mamba project, I would run to him.

Like I've grown from being a general ranger to being a sergeant, from being a sergeant to a medializing. Now I was a supervisor of the Black Mambas and now I'm a staff sergeant. So it has been all his motivations and there are two awards that I have won. And wow, I'm happy that I told him before, before they kill him, I told him that, you know, as you played a huge role in my life, you inspire me and you have changed a lot in my life. So I would always appreciate him and I will always keep his legacy going. Because he was dead.

Do you remember the moment that you told him that you made it through training and that you were now a ranger? Yeah. That was via phone call. And he was so excited. I still remember how he would love when you're talking with him. And yeah, he told me that I told you you were going to do it. And I trusted you. So now the ball is in your hands.

You go out there and work for you. your profile. You go out there and, you know, and fly the flag. And that's what I've been doing. And following into his footsteps, he has changed a lot in my mind. I mean, in my life, I'm so, so inspired by him. He was a teacher. It was a motivator. It was a husband. He was a father. He was a man of community, he was a cultural man, and there's a lot about him. He was a hero. And I would say that conservation has lost a big giant, but we didn't lose that much because there's a lot of rangers out there that were trained by Anton and they are keeping the flag flying. It's amazing to see the effect that he has had on everyone and to see that his legacy is being

lived out through people like you and you're his cousin. So it's in the family. Are there other family members of yours that are also Rangers? So actually, Olaht, who took after Antoine, he's also a family member because actually our grandfather had three wives. So Anton's mother is coming from the first wife and Ollat's mother is from the second one. and my mom is from the third wife. Oh, okay. We're coming from one big three. And we also have some relatives that are in the industry, that are rangers, that are chefs,

that are waitress. So, yeah, there's a lot of people around our family tree that are working in the game reserves. Wow. This episode is brought to you by Prime. obsession is in session and this summer Prime Originals have everything you want

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going into training to be a part of the Black Mamba that Anton and his Ranger group would be supplied with weapons, but the Black Mambas would not. Is there a reason why that is? So the reason is that the Black Mamba project is when it started, it was about to empower women and to use a different model to not use weapon, but to use education. to engage more with community and teach kids like multi-generational investment and also to involve

youth and old people into the project. So the aim is that we as women, we don't want to use weapon, but we're going to put our boots in the ground and use education and advertise ourselves to stop rhino poaching and bushmate poaching. But what I like to, most is that we're all speaking the same language. I am unarmed and some rangers are armed, but we are all fighting one fight. We're just using different model. And the aim is to make sure that the iconic animals are safe. That's amazing. And you mentioned that a lot of this has to do with education. How do you, what are some of these community outreach programs that you help educate people with.

So on the Black Numbers project, we have the sister project called Bush Babies. So we focus on the community that are very close to the game resolve in Palawura. We focus in the community called Maseke, Mashi Mali, Makushane, and Namahale, where we teach kids about nature conservation. We have 10 schools and we're standing at about 2,100 kids that we are teaching every day. And now I've started to join them every Friday in the afternoon for four to five hours where we create different activities, teaching the kids about protecting the environment, protecting the iconic animals and teaching them to be independent and also take care of their domestic animals and their domestic animals and their community and the environment as a whole. So when we go to schools, the aim is to make sure that

these kids are involved and they know what is happening in their community or in South Africa. They have to know the fights that we are fighting at an early age and also to engage them with the animals. As I've mentioned, that the first time that I saw a wild animal, I was already in high school. So I was over 14. And now the kids that are seven years old, six, eight years old, we bring them into the game result in Oliphant West. We have the Black Mama's headquarters and we have the Bush Baby Camp. So they come and camp at the Bush Baby Camps in holidays where they spend three days sleeping in the tents, very close to their river. And so they can hear all this animal role. They can learn about all these animal behaviors. And we take them out on the

patrol but in the buffer zone where there is no big fight where we're able to control them and make sure that they are well protected and we show them what we do what that when we go out on patrol what is it that we're looking for when we go out to sweep to remove for snares what is a snare why we have to remove a snare and also explain to them who the poachers are because you know our kids in the communities they go to the same school with the potter's with the poachers kit there we go to shopping with the with the poachers and their kids.

But kids need to know that poaching is wrong. And we use the Bush Baby project to expose them to date, to make them aware of what is happening around. So it's such a beautiful project because, you know, when you get into the community and start teaching these kids, we call it Bush Babies because the first time we arrived there and they're looking at us, they see soldiers. And we start explaining to them who we are and what to do.

their eyes got very big like a bush baby. And their eyes were so wide open that they want to understand why are you a woman wearing a soldier's uniform and you don't have a weapon and who are the poachers? Where are they coming from? What are they doing and all that? And also for them to notice, to understand that there are so many carriers in nature conservation

that they can follow. So many of our kids only know that, oh, you can be a teacher, police, nurse, and a traffic, that's it. But you can still be a teacher in nature conservation, like the environmental monitors that we have. Like the project, Jesus, C, they have environmental monitors. They go to schools and teach swimming in our Bush Baby project.

And you can become a nurse. You can be a vet in nature conservation. You can also be a police in nature conservation. So there is a lot of, careers that people can follow in nature conservation. It's all about opening their mind and letting them understand that there's a lot of careers that they can do and also making them understand that, you know, our generation will lose a lot if we don't do anything now and if we don't involve them at the moment. I imagine that seeing women in this role is so inspiring to all of the

little girls that are seeing you walk into these classrooms in uniform. and seeing this other role that maybe they've never thought of, like you mentioned at the beginning of this episode when you first saw people outside and you're discovering these wild animals to see women in this role is very exciting. And it does inspire younger women to want to do these things as well. Can you tell us how this idea of the Black Mamba group came around and why it got started? So it was 2009 when poaching went very high in South Africa. So it was Craig Spencer, the founder of the Black Mammas,

with some of the directors of the Black Mamas projects. They were sitting in the campfire. And in 2013, part of Oliphant waste was attacked by poachers. And they've noticed that they're going to lose more rhinos if they see they're not do anything. And that's where they came up with the... project called Black Mambas, and it was named the Black Mambas because the Black Mambas snake, it's a very dangerous, strong and venomous snake, and it's very active. So they wanted to work with women, young women, from the rural communities, very close to the

game resolve. And that's where it started. They went to the community, speak with their chief, and that's how we got to. involved and also to our schools and that's how we got involved and from there it has been flourishing according to me because there are now so many female projects that has been started all over the world just after when our project has been started when people have seen the impact that we have put out we've become role models and so many people understand what we're doing we're not threats to so many male rangers and people can see

the good way that the black members are doing and then decided to start some projects in like in Zimbabwe with the Akashinga and in other areas so which is amazing so that's where the project is coming from we were having less seeming actually when we started we didn't have any made in the industry of Rangers and we have put a lot of impact all over the world and now we're standing on 11% of female Rangers on over the world which is amazing and I get so much excited when I attend some of the events and find that there are some women who are Rangers and they're working very hard tirelessly to make sure they protect the iconic animals and the the Black Mamba project

It's very special because we are mothers. We have kids. And we stay 21 days at work and we go home for 10 days where we bond and have good time with our kids. And also our kids are able to visit us at our workplace and see what we're doing, see where we stay. When we tell them that we're going to work, now they know where we're going. They understand what we're doing. And also they're inspired by what their mothers are doing. You're inspiring a whole other generation.

Yeah. Yeah. I get so excited when I'm in the community and I see young girls coming to talk to me and they want to know what made me join this job, what made me do this and what can they do to join the black members or who work in some of the reserve as a ranger. So, you know, I feel it that, ooh, I've done my part. I've changed someone's mind and someone looks up to me, someone seem it as a role model. So it is so amazing when you see young girl want to do something for themselves and they want to go out there and protect their iconic animals.

It's incredibly inspiring. I mean, women in a primarily male role, strong women, a very strong name to go with, which I love is amazing. and you're also putting yourself in this environment to save these really spectacular special animals that are really under crisis right now because I was reading some statistics online and it said that in 2003 there were 78 rhinos that were killed within Kruger National Park area and that poaching is still a really big problem. Can you elaborate a little bit more on what is going on with poaching within the area that you're in right now? So poaching is still a huge problem in South Africa because people are still, people still want to kill this animal until none of them is left. And that's why we are working very hard

to make sure that these animals are safe and are protected. So on the Demand Reserve that I am, We haven't lost much rhinos because we are in an open area where there's so many cars driving up and down. And we're very close to the national road. So it's not easy for a person to go inside. So there's so many cars driving up and down. There are so many game drive cars. The black members are always active, driving up and down, shining the spotlight, and patrolling the boundaries, advocating ourselves so that people knows that we are here.

So we have tried by all means, and we are trying by all means to make sure that our animals are safe. And we constantly get training now and then to be more active and more vigilant and come up with more crazy ideas to make sure that the animals are well protected. Amazing. And clearly, like you just mentioned that you have not had a lot of loss. in your region. What are some successes that the Black Mambas have had since you have all been operating in this area? So since the project started in 2013, I would speak about the first success. We haven't lost any of the Black Mambas due to being killed by a poacher on duty, being killed by the animals on duty. Because to me, it's safety first for human being.

And then we come to animals. So we haven't lost most animals, more animals, and we have been removing so many snares. I remember when we started in 20, I've joined the project in 2014. I've already found that the team has removed a lot of snares. I was based in the north. We would remove about 80 fresh snares per day with different tracks of poachers. And up to now, we went out today with two teams sweeping at the day.

different areas. None of them came back with a snake. Yesterday, they came back with three old snares that was no longer six. So the snares already fell down. So that's a big, huge success to me and to the project. And another success is that we are standing on 11 awards. So every year, we've been winning an award for the hard job that we do. And having 10 schools in the community, 2,200 kids that we are teaching. It is a huge success to me. And another success is from it's, what is it? It's me being Anton's cousin and keeping the legacy of Anton flying.

And also, most of the black members have traveled all over the world. I've met the Irwin's. I went to Australia and stayed at the Irwin's house in the zoo for two weeks. I've met Prince William a few times. I've been to different trips with the Rainer Man team, trying to expose the Rangers, trying to make sure that the people that doesn't know about Ranger get to know about the name Rhino Man

because Rhino Man speaks for the Rangers all over the world. So that is a huge success to myself that we have occupied Proffer and also the success. of having different project of women all over the world because we break the chain. We went out there and stood up, bold, and raised our chin and made sure that all women see us, or maybe the whole world, see us, and then they start the same projects as what we're having. There's a lot to be proud of, and it's always nice to be recognized for the hard work that you put in and the differences that you're making in your local communities and around the world.

I mean, me and Cassie have seen Rino Man the film a couple of times now. We've talked about it a lot on the show. We've had John on several times. So kind of shifting focus to that. Rhino Man is now available to everyone everywhere. So we really encourage everyone to watch it because it is such a moving piece of work. You know, it is a film, but it's also a glimpse into the lives of Anton and a lot of the other rangers that live and breathe protection of wildlife and putting their lives literally on the

line for these animals and to safeguard communities. As far as Anton's case, as of right now, there hasn't been much movement in an arrest. Do you have any updates on his case or has there been any movement since we last touched base with John? So there is a lot of movement that is happening. So many people are behind us. So many people are supporting the Rangers and so many people are supporting Anton's case. I mean, Anton's case. There was a petition that has been signed by people globally that we need justice for Anton. And also, John is about to release.

Something will be released on Tuesday where we are demanding justice for Anton, where there will be so many people following up. There are so many people. police that are involved, or so many people in the nature conservation industry that are involved in trying to help to find the people who killed Anton. And of course, as you were mentioned, you mentioned a little bit earlier, you've said that you have been actively spreading the word of Anton and you've been part of various conferences and movie screenings. You've been traveling all over. What has that experience been like for you

to be able to share Anton's story and share who Anton was across the world. So, actually, it was difficult for me when I have to travel and talk about Anton, talk about the Rangers, talk about Drinomen, the challenges that the Rangers are coming across. It was difficult because it was still painful, but I have to go out there and speak and let people know. who the Rangers are, who Anton is, and what we are doing. So I still got motivation from the movie Rhino Man and from Anton's picture that I have to go out and talk about him. I have to go out and do this because I'm not only doing this for myself, but I'm doing this for him. I'm doing this for the whole world.

I'm doing this for the young kids and his legacy. So I went out there and did a talk until I was able to stand bold. and watched the rhinole. It was always tears whenever we have to sit in front of people, watch the rhinoman, and after that, people would ask questions, you know, it was difficult to even respond to some of the questions, but it's something that we had to because we want people to know who Anton is and what happened to Anton's life,

and we don't want what happened to Anton to happen to other rangers. But now, when I talk about it, I feel like this is what Anton wants me to do. This is, what I'm doing now is very good. And I'm flying the ranger's flag. I'm flying Anton's flag. So now it feels like it's something that I have to do every day because I've seen the exposure. I've seen how people were touched about Anton's story,

how now people are getting more and more involved in trying to get the people being arrested, to get the people who kill him to be arrested, and how people are trying to help the rangers in different organizations and also the movement that will be launched next day by the United for Wildlife Foundation to support the Rangers and the Rangers when they're no longer their families when the Rangers are no longer alive. So I feel like I've went out and I've spread the word and I have done enough and I've

done exactly what Anton would want me to do. And it makes me happy when I see people watch the Rhino Man. Because there are so many people out there who still doesn't know who the Rangers are. But with this movie, it's a huge exposure of what the Rangers are, what we come across, because the struggle is real. And I feel very proud to be one of the Rhineman team traveling with them and telling people who the Rangers are and what they do. So I feel like I have done exactly what Anton would want me to do.

You're certainly continuing his legacy. And I mean, I have seen screenings of it in the United States. I've seen a lot of the posts of Prince William as getting involved in this. I mean, your voice and the voice with Rhinelman is carrying across the globe. And it is very inspiring to hear Anton's story and to see the effect that he's had on everyone that is involved. And I think that you, being able to go around and tell his story, even though it is extremely difficult, is also very inspiring. Do you have other, do you have future plans where you're still traveling to these conferences and movie screenings, or are you more home-based now spreading the word? So I just came back from the summit that was hosted by the United Wildlife in Cape Town. and okay, I love traveling and talking about the rangers, but I cannot say I still have plans to travel because I have to wait for the invitation

and wait for someone to pay for my flies and pay for the accombatical and all the... But I wouldn't mind to travel. Well, sticking to home base, I mean, you've definitely made waves and just reflecting back on what you've told us, going back to your childhood and not being exposed to wildlife at an early age or any of the problems surrounding what wildlife is facing in Africa and throughout the world in different ways. But now you're going into schools every week and you're exposing thousands of children to

all of the wonders of wildlife and some of the issues that they're facing so much earlier on. And I just really think it's so beautiful how, you know, just if you're thinking of you and Anton and the Black Mamba's work and the Rangers work that's usually, you know, primarily male dominated, it's kind of like this two-prong approach. There's kind of like proactive approach and reactive approach. And there's both are needed. You know, you need people out boots on the ground, taking snares down and confronting poachers. But you also equally as necessary is early. intervention of really getting the word out to children and youth, both little girls and little boys about, you know, what's going on and what they can do to make a better future. And that is just the combination of the Black Mamba's work and the work that Anton and his, his comrades have done are just, it's just such a beautiful melding and it's, they're both necessary. Yeah. So, you know, I find this as a huge combination because, as I've mentioned, that I didn't get a chance to see animals at an early age. And now we are getting these thousand kids being exposed from our

community to the animals. And we want them to know the animals that are very close to them. Some of the kids, they just hear the lion roll from a distance, but I've never seen this lion in real life. They see it on TV. They see it on magazines. But when you bring them in, you know, when you look into their eyes, you can see love and happiness, the joy that they have. And it really fulfills your blends because you definitely feel it deep inside that I've made someone's child happy or I've managed to reach the dreams of that little girl. We have so many kids who are dreaming to see themselves into the game reserve, inside the game drive car, see watching the animals, and they don't get that chance. But with the projects that we are waking with, we get to expose these kids. We get to make them see that there is a lot of beautiful animals that they can talk about or that they can protect when they grow up.

So it's all about investing in the young ones and letting the community see the good job that we're doing and being more involved and working together. Because we need more eyes and ears to protect the iconic animals. And we need more rangers. We need more environmental educators to teach the kids about nature conservation. But so far, I think we are winning. I feel like we are winning. So many kids are being exposed. So many kids are talking about it.

There are so many kids out there who are not going to keep quiet when they see someone with a rhino horn. When they hear someone talking that they want to push, they know who the right people to go and so. And that is through the projects that we are doing. So, like, we get so many messages from different people who want to join the black members. We want to do the same thing that we are doing, going to the communities and teach. And that's because we've made an emperor der Rangers. We are the role models and the fact that the male

rangers are so supportive. We always need men by our side. We always need these male rangers to hold us by our hands and say that we can do this because they are our brothers, they are our ankles, they are our husbands, we come from the same

community and we are talking the same language in protecting the iconic animal and the same community where we come from. It's amazing to have such a supportive community with both the male rangers and the women rangers supporting each other in such an important role. And something that you mentioned earlier was that when you're going into these schools, you're also teaching children who come from families who are poachers.

What have been the reactions of the children who have grown up with knowing poaching in a way that is probably as what it is bad, but what has their reaction? action been to seeing this education that you're putting in front of them about the wildlife? So when you are in a class and asking questions about poaching, you can tell those women we have a bit of information about poaching. According to our kids response to your question, if you ask them, what is the rhino horn? They will definitely tell you what the rhino horn is and how people are poaching the rhinos. And they will tell you that people are selling the rhino horn to get more money.

And you ask, how do you know you make a lot of money with the right on? And they will try to not say it exactly to brush it. Like,

oh, I had people talking on the street and so on. But then with the more information that they give, you get to understand this one has more information or this one knows

better about this. And then that tells you as a teacher that I have to focus more on this kid. Talk with them. Make sure that I understand that

they know what to do when they see someone with a rhino horn or when they hear someone talk about wanting to go and poach. And in that way, it helps you to know that in this community, you have a huge problem of poaching. And we also don't want to raise kids that want to grow up and become poachers because they don't want to work hard. They want to get easy money. So we try to engage with them in a good way, make them understand. that poaching is not good. And you can die, you can be arrested. And if someone says they want to poach,

you tell them that they don't do it because that's your career. You want to work in nature conservation. Or you report them to your teachers, to the police, to the environmental monitors, to the black members. So our kids that we are teaching, they know exactly what they have to do. And also, when there is a kid who seems to know that their parents do bush meat poaching and all that.

We do elephant and rhino match where we go to the community and into the gather few schools and walk five kilometers while we are singing the songs of stop rhino poaching, stop killing the animals. They are vulnerable and innocent and our future generation. Like, oh, we have beautiful songs that we sing with these kids. And they are the leaders and we dance. and it is so exciting to see and so inspired to see how the community joined us. So many youth, so many old people join us into singing this song and working together.

And there's a lot of positive messages that we are seeing into the community. Because like on the 29th of November, we are having the graduation of the Bush babies. long time ago, black parents wouldn't come into such graduations. But nowadays, those parents, they join. And you'll be asking a kid about the names of the trees that you've been teaching them. And you will see the mothers and fathers also raising their hands. They want to give respond. They know the names of the trees.

They know the names of the animal. And they've learned it from their kids. Who has been attending the Bush Baby Project, who went to Kruger trips, who went to Koro camp, who came to their bush babies camp. So there is a lot of impact. And that tells you that these kids, when they go, they don't sit with the message. They do tell their parents about poaching and how bad it is and that it mustn't happen because there's a lot of careers that they can have in nature conservation.

So that is a huge impact that I have seen, that so many of our project out there is is doing into the communities. The impact is incredible. I mean, to be teaching children and then to see that it is reaching much farther than that from the children themselves is really exciting. And I imagine for the children especially who maybe have grown up with parents who are poachers to go out into the wildlife and to see these animals in real life and to share all this love for the wildlife, it's life changing.

And it's inspiring for these children who may have in other circumstances grown up believing something else, but seeing this community come together and learn to love the wildlife and see it and these beautiful songs and dances and love that shared between not just the animals, but the people who are advocating for them is a really beautiful project. Yeah, it is an amazing project, something that I love to do. If you can ask me what is the best day of my work, that is one of it. When I'm out in the communities with these young kids teaching them, it's so amazing. I always take pictures and videos because I want to gather as much memories as I can with the community.

And how wonderful is it that, you know, in a lot of ways you're probably becoming someone's Anton. on, like who Anton is to you, you know, you are probably serving as that role in other people's lives as well, just being the inspiration and saying, you can do this. And, you know, like, you are capable and this is a path for you. And I'm encouraging you and I'm rooting for you. And that I think that's a really cool full circle moment, you know, moments that you have throughout your work that you can continue. Yes, you're continuing Anton's legacy. And your own life, but you're also serving as that kind of guiding light to others as well. So I feel special.

I feel special. You know, sometimes when people can see you like, oh, it's good to see you. You're one of the black numbers and you just get excited and like, okay. But when it comes to the young kids, it's so amazing because you, you're, you, you're You see how excited they are. You see that it comes from their heart when they see you in their school as a ranger teaching them how they pay attention when you teach them, how they want to engage with you. Like even when you knock off you, now we're heading back to the resolve. These kids don't want you to go and they even ask when you're coming back.

So this makes me feel special and it makes me feel proud and that I didn't make a mistake in a, being in this industry and I appreciate Anton for inspiring me, for motivating me to be where I am today. And it keeps me moving every day to know that there are young kids in the community that I'm inspiring and that have been inspired by a hero, by a man who dedicated his life to protect the iconic animals. the men who worked for his community, who worked for the whole world, who worked for all the animals and who made sure that none of the rhinos will be pushed in his watch

until his life was taken away. So I feel inspired, I feel motivated every day, I feel special every day when I wake up with pride knowing that I'm going out there to protect their iconic animals. I think it's just amazing to be me. I love what I'm doing. And I want to continue with the job that I'm doing, inspiring the community, growing into the nature conservation,

and becoming the best matter to my kids and my family, my colleagues, and people all over the world and also continue being the role model. Well, you certainly are a very inspiring woman and inspiring mother. You're making me feel inspired just from talking to you. You really are. Like, what you're doing is beautiful. It sounds like you have found your life purpose in what you're doing. And it's amazing to hear how that journey began, how Anton influenced it where you are now. And it's really amazing. And it's something to be very proud of. And as women ourselves, it's just so exciting to see women succeeding and doing these beautiful, wonderful things.

So very excited for you and this journey that you are on. And from our end, I mean, we feel like we're across, we are across the world from you. But it would be great to know ways that we can help support the Black Mambas. And one of the, so one is my question of how we can support. But also I was reading online that there is Black Mamba anti-poaching unit tours where visitors can actually come to the reserve and spend time with you and learn. What is that, what is that whole program? Okay. Thank you so much.

So we have a website. We have a website. If you can go on Facebook and follow the Black Mamas, there's a link where you can scan and support the Black Mambas. We are on Instagram. and we have the Bush Baby Camp that I spoke about. When people want to visit, they can reach out via their website and the Black Mamba's email. And then when they visit us, we're going to spend a night, two nights, three nights with them at the camp, explaining to them what we do, sit in the campfire and share a lot of stories from where the project started until where we are today.

and we're having good time with some of the guests that have already visited us. And, you know, we take you out of the city and bring you into the bush where you will feel like you are at home and have good time. And then you can also follow the Bush Babies. There is also a link there where you can support the Bush Baby Project, which is our system project. And Transfonteer Africa, it's a project where I can say people who want to volunteer.

It doesn't matter the age. And also people who are studying in universities and all the, they can come and pursue their careers in nature conservation with the help of Transfontea Africa, where they volunteer to do different things. We also have researchers that comes in with the Transfonteer Africa and spend some time with some good time with their bush babies.

I mean with the Black Man, and the Bush babies. We'll also take you to the village in the schools where you get to see the kids that we teach and get to teach them or learn from the kids. Have lunch, dance with the kids, play some activities, nice games, and have a good time.

That sounds amazing. Thank you. That sounds like the best experience. It really does. Yeah. It is nice experience. We take you on patrol with us. So you see what we do, we give you the spotlight, the shine around, we report over the radios, you know, from my side.

It's like I do free game drive every day where I see this beautiful creature and make sure that I protect them when I'm advertising myself to the whole world so that people don't come inside the reserve, knowing that I am there to make sure the animals are safe. Well, thank you so much for sharing so much information with us and with our listeners. And I know that I speak for both Cassie and I when I say that a lot of our listeners are probably going to leave this, hearing this episode inspired and wanting to learn more. And we'll supply all those links so people can go check out all those amazing programs because it's incredible work that you're doing. And we can't wait to bring it out to our audience and let everyone know that the black. mamba are having their boots on the ground and just doing a lot of incredible things and changing a lot of lives and not just wildlife, the lives of wildlife. Like, you know, you're impacting a lot of children and the future of the different species in Kruger. So thank you for sharing with us.

Yeah. Thank you so much. It was a pleasure talking to you. I wish people can watch more and more of the Rainer Man movie as it speaks for all the Rangers. Rangers and also that link of Reinhoman, the movie.org, you know, is people can just go there and see everything about Rhineman and support the film. Make sure that, you know, the voice of the Rangers are out there and people hear about it. It will be amazing. We need more and more eyes out there. We need more people to know about the Rangers. Yes, of course. And on the topic to

kind of talk more about this is for Anton, you mentioned that there is going to be advocating for justice for Anton and how is that something that we can get involved in and people listening can get involved in? Yeah, so it's next Tuesday where they are lodging a large campaign for justice for Anton to raise the funds for Erward and support. And, and support. the forecast conservation. So it will be amazing to get more and more people to support and get the people who killed Anton to be arrested. They did send their message. We did get the message, but we're not baking up. We're continuing with the job and it's a bad luck to them. I'm sure when they took Anton, they were not aware how big Anton is.

I'm sure they thought they were bearing the seed, but they didn't know that the seed is going to come out alive and, you know, grow more and more. Because I guess after noticing how huge Anton is in nature conservation with Prince William being involved and all the other people being involved, all people being touched by his funeral, those people, I'm sure they've realized that what they did was totally wrong. and I wish, you know, all the rangers can be safe out there when they go out and patrol and that we may not be afraid when we have to go out and protect this iconic animals and being afraid of another human being that they will target our life because we're stopping them from killing the creatures. So, yeah, this is the message that I would like people to know that it really pains a lot to so many of us that we lost Anton

and now his kids doesn't have a father because of the people who decided to take his life but forward we're going and we are flying his flag we will continue with his legacy we continue waking and we're going to continue working hard until they get arrested so that other people can and also learn that the rangers are the people that we need in our life to protect the iconic animal. Since we need more, we need more of the animals than the way animals need us.

I would agree with that. Beautifully said, you know, they, these people, they took Anton's life, but they certainly didn't stop his work. And it is being lived on through all of you. And if anything, It sounds like you, this is the beginning of a very long fight that you, that you're going to win and that you have a lot of support behind it because of Anton and his voice as well. So we're definitely rooting for it and we want to help in whatever way we can from across here and help spread the word. And we will add in the links for Anton and how to support and get involved with that and also for the Black Mambas. And we just want to say thank you so much for coming on here and sharing more of Anton with us and for sharing your story and for sharing the Black Mambas with us today. Thank you so much. It was a pleasure taking to you. And I hope the word can go out there so many people hear about it. So I'm grateful. Thank you very much, Lita. It was so nice to meet you.

Yeah. And we're very grateful that you came on to speak with us today. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much for joining us again this week. If you have a trail tale or story suggestion, send us an email at Stories at NPADPodcast.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at National Park After Dark and on Twitter at NPAD podcast. Join our Outsiders only community on Patreon or Apple subscriptions to listen ad-free, unlock monthly bonus episodes and exclusive content. remember, when you support our sponsors, you are supporting our show. For our exclusive discount codes and source information from today's episode, check out the show notes. For more information

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