Kruger National Park appoints first female head ranger

The Kruger National Park has appointed its first female head ranger, Cathy Dreyer, 43, who has an exemplary
record in conservation management, law enforcement and people and strategic management competencies.

Dreyer – who starts her new position on 1 May – is currently the conservation manager at Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape responsible for terrestrial and marine areas.

Before moving to Addo, she was based in the Kruger, contributing to the protection and conservation of black rhino in the Intensive Protection Zone.

She coordinated and participated in the implementation of aerial surveillance and was also instrumental in drawing up protection strategies and patrol tactics aimed at protecting black rhinos in the Kruger.

Before that, she was conservation manager at the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency for the Great Fish River Nature Reserve, home to one of the key black rhino populations in South Africa.

Dreyer’s appointment comes soon after the holding of a successful strategy session in March with stakeholders and employees on preparing a Rhino Implementation Plan aimed at arresting the decline of the rhino population within the park.

The Kruger’s managing executive Gareth Coleman congratulated Dreyer on her new appointment.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Cathy back. She brings with her a wealth of conservation management experience and in conserving rhinos in particular. She has proven herself as a dedicated conservationist and a law enforcement officer.”

Dreyer expressed her joy.

“I am incredibly humbled by this opportunity, particularly at a time when the Kruger National Park is vigorously and earnestly working on its turnaround plan,” she said.

– news@citizen.co.za