Endangered Wildlife Trust celebrates K9 handler
The Endangered Wildlife Trust has published a series of articles celebrating women in celebration of Women’s Month. One of the women is Endangered Wildlife Trust’s conservation K9 handler, Precious Malapane from Hoedspruit. She is the only woman in a team of 12 rangers and the only dog handler. This is her story as told to www.ewt.org.za.
“I am one of many women who have not let anything stand in their way. I am a conservation K9 handler working with Ruger and Bekha, the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s conservation K9s and strong females themselves. You might be wondering how I ended up here. This is my tale. I grew up in a remote village off the northeastern border of the Kruger National Park border. I was a very quiet and rather shy child. I came out of my shell when I joined a girl’s traditional dancing group at age ten, where I learned to be confident and comfortable in my skin.
“Attending practice every day and dancing in front of people helped me build my confidence,” she said. “She sadly lost her mother when she was just two years shy of matriculating. She was our only parent, and when we lost her, my three siblings and I started doing odd jobs around the village to survive. However, we did not let our situation get in the way of our education. I matriculated in 2014 and enrolled in the Southern African Wildlife College, where I trained as a field ranger. I was lucky enough to get an internship in the college’s K9 unit.
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I started working with conservation K9s under the guidance of renowned dog master– Johan van Straaten, from whom I learned much. I know everything I know today because of his teachings,” she added. Her love for dogs began at a very young age when her family got one as a pet. “I knew then how great dogs are. I didn’t know that they could do so much! I love working with dogs because they are always eager to go out and work. With them, there is no politics, social roles, or discrimination.
I am just their beloved handler and trainer. I also love how they are not biased or easily swayed by external forces. Their job is to help their handler find what they are looking for, and they will not stop until they find it. And when they do, they will not leave it until the handler arrives. They have taught me to be honest and dedicated in my work,” said Precious. She also said although she is mostly surrounded by men in her line of work, she has been fortunate to know and learn from strong women who have shaped her life and career.
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“They have empowered me and improved my resilience both socially and economically. These are some of them: My mother: That woman is my hero, my pillar and strength, even now in her absence. She played a huge role and did a great job as a single parent. I really love how she raised me and my siblings. I am where I am today because of her. Theresa Sowry: The CEO of the Southern African Wildlife College. I love how involved she is on every level. You can tell she is passionate about conservation from her interaction with all students and the
team at the college.
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“Shadi Henrico: Shadi is the conservation canine project coordinator at the Endangered Wildlife Trust. She assisted me in qualifying as a dog handler and trained Ruger – the dog I work with at the reserve. She also shared with me this great life I get to live now because of her willingness to help me whenever I reach out to her. “Anitjie Mkhansi: She is also a conservation canine handler at another private reserve. I always go to her when I face work-related challenges, and she is always keen to sit down with me and come up with solutions. Navigating work and inspiring each other as young women of the same age and in the same field makes everything easier,” she said.
She said that having come across all these amazing women, and in celebration of women’s month in South Africa, she encourages other women and young girls to pursue careers in conservation and dog handling. “I personally believe that, as women, we can do anything we put our minds to. We are all human, after all. With all that being said, I hope we find ways to continue liberating women from cycles of poverty and assigned social roles and giving them the resources to improve their social and economic opportunities.
“We will play out of this with my favourite song – Master KG’s I am a superstar. Keep your eyes on the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Wild diaries for my and Ruger’s tracking adventures,” concluded Precious.
