• Female led patrols in the lower Zambezi Conservation Area are progressing very well.
• The profile of women in Wildlife conservation is slowly changing.
• A female Ranger in Livingstone has just been recognized at international level.
Ministry of Tourism and Arts says the deployment of a female led squad of Wildlife Police Officers to combat wildlife crimes in the Lower Zambezi Conservation Area is yielding positive results.
Speaking in an interview with Money FM News, Ministry Spokesperson Sakabilo Kalembwe said the women are fitting in very well, adding that their in Wildlife conservation in the country is slowly changing.
He noted that one month since the deployment, one cannot tell the difference between the Women and male led Wildlife Conservation officers.
“The Department of National Parks and Wildlife introduced female led patrols in the lower Zambezi Conservation Area and this is progressing very well. This is one month down the line and literally you cannot tell the difference with the male led ones. Our women are fitting in very well and the profile of women in Wildlife conservation is slowly changing in Zambia,” Mr. Sakabilo stated.
And Mr. Sakabilo disclosed that one of Zambia’s female Game Rangers in Livingstone has been recognized at international level, by grabbing the international Rangers award, an indication that women can change their own profile.
“We are glad to inform you that this year, one of our female Rangers by the name of Annette Milimo in Livingstone has just been recognized at international level, by going ahead to grab the international Rangers award. So we know that women can change their own profile from being subjected to activities of the kitchen to do what men can do, and they are doing it very well,” he added.
Last month, Zambia started a pilot project of deploying on patrol an all-female squad of Wildlife Police Officers to combat wildlife crimes in the Lower Zambezi Conservation Area.
The initiative is already being used in South Africa and Zambia has followed suit in recognizing the potential of women to combat wildlife crimes.