World Image Magazine Issue 31 April 2016 | Page 14

A different approach was needed to battle poaching, over the past few centuries the same ‘weapons’ or tools have been used to combat poaching and although these tools worked at the time, it only temporarily solved the problem. Craig Spencer, Managing Director of Transfrontier Africa, Warden of Balule Nature Reserve and Founder of the Black Mamba APU came up with this long term solution. The Black Mamba snake is fast, lethally venomous and highly aggressive when threatened. The women of our APU are exactly that when it comes to protecting their area of operation. All of the women that have been selected and joined the Black Mamba APU have a huge passion for wildlife. They are here to do their part to protect their natural heritage. They want their children and children’s, children to enjoy nature as they are so fortunate to do so today. The Black Mamba APU is majority women. We have a separate armed unit, managed by ProTrack Anti-Poaching Unit that consists of only men. All of this information \