Today, on Women’s Day 2024, the Guardian Angel Wildlife and Marine Trust proudly confirms that we have committed to an initiative aimed to address the gender imbalance in ranger gender numbers.

It’s not that the Guardian Angel Wildlife and Marine Trust, is Woke in the current vernacular shorthand for a heightened awareness of social inequalities, racial injustice and ‘genderism’ – but we are certainly Awake to the fact that globally, wildlife ranger culture is still a male-dominated domain, with roles and responsibilities often assigned based on gender, race, and patriarchal cultural and organizational hierarchies. Positions such as section ranger, regional ranger, field ranger, warden, anti-poaching ranger and sergeant are typically still determined by gender. Only 3% to 11% of the world’s rangers are women (Seager, 2021:11). 

To date, ranger gender dynamics has impacted on the role expectations, rights, equality of position, salary, operational focus and overall effectiveness of wildlife rangers. Although more females are joining their male counterparts in certain ranks, research on ranger culture globally indicates that males still dominate the ranger workforce (Franklin, 2007; Gripp and Zaluar, 2017). South African ranger culture indicates that it aligns with global ranger culture and is still male-dominated with more men than women being trained and employed as rangers. Research conducted at private wildlife reserves yielded that while male rangers were assigned to active field-work and patrol duties, the female rangers were assigned to more sedentary tasks, reflecting and reinforcing gender stereotypes. 

Acknowledgement, however, must be made of the increasing number of women training to become rangers. Across Africa, women are breaking barriers and leading the charge in conservation, demonstrating remarkable courage and resilience as rangers who are committed to safeguarding the continent's precious wildlife. South Africa is setting a new standard in conservation efforts as being one of the first African countries to launch a truly groundbreaking initiative. In 2013, the Black Mambas, an all-female anti-poaching unit, began patrolling the Balule Nature Reserve in the Limpopo province of South Africa. What is interesting to note is that these intrepid women believe that the war on poaching is not won through guns and violence – but through social upliftment and community education. This paradigm shift offers a unique and effective approach to conservation. According to the Southern African Wildlife College, the number of female ranger trainees is rising steadily each year, reflecting positive progress towards greater gender diversity in conservation efforts.  Mention must be made that, in contradistinction to the privately-owned game reserves, the Kruger National Park (SANParks) has a policy in place to employ females as rangers on active patrol. This contrast in modus operandi, of employing active-patrol female rangers, may perhaps be attributed to SANParks being a national government agency / state-owned entity, whereas the private reserves are owned by corporates and private entities.

The GAWM Trust’s two-fold approach is to enrich and enhance knowledge and understanding of our conservation efforts and to promote and facilitate community commitment to protecting our magnificent natural landscape. Our approach extends to amplifying the voices of active- and potential- female rangers through a concerted effort to expose and educate greater numbers of South African youth, particularly young females, to become actively involved in our multiple conservation initiatives. 

Our initiative aims to promote diversity by involving underrepresented groups, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable playing field. By providing aspiring and active female ranger trainees with hands-on and integrated skills and knowledge concerning ecology, biodiversity and conservation practices, their understanding and appreciation of the natural landscape and environmental sustainability will become more efficacious. The roll-on effect will be seen in our closer collaboration with community leaders to foster stronger local support for local conservation initiatives and to increase sustainable environmental practices that positively impact the environment. 

Overall, this initiative has the potential to provide valuable educational experiences to promote gender and race diversity in conservation, and to foster greater community engagement. However, addressing logistical challenges to ensure inclusivity, and to maintain long-term impact is critical to the success of this endeavour.

That’s why we need the support of Women, particularly on Women’s Day, to come on board with us as we push for parity in our conservation and preservation drives!