Fiona Mkansi: Her love for wildlife makes her a force to be reckoned with

In a field once considered the domain of hardened men with rifles, bravery, focus and discipline is what has made 28-year-old Fiona Mkansi a force to be reckoned with among her colleagues, a tourist favourite and a role model for young women.

Although it has not been easy being one of the few women in a team of male field guides, Mkansi’s love for the wild has not only helped her find her role within the team, but also establish and cement herself within the male-dominated profession.

“I used to come here on school trips and with family but every time I came I just felt at home. My family even called me a bush baby, but I never imagined myself working here,” she says.

Without a plan after matric, the mother of two says she knew she has to work extra-hard to ensure that she has a better life.

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“I really wanted to go to university but because the situation didn’t allow it, I just decided to find other avenues and that’s when I heard about Wildlife College, where I did my conservation bridging programme for six months,” she adds.

“I was just lucky that my lecturers from the college remembered me and they recommended me to SANParks when they were looking for 10 female guides. From the 150 chosen, I made it right down to the last 10.”

Mkansi began her career as a field guide early in 2015, at the age of 21 following multiple training, tests and interviews, and has never looked back. However, she says this was always a stepping stone as she would like to pursue other career opportunities which include wildlife.

It is reportedly estimated that less than 11% of the global wildlife ranger and guide workforce is female, Mkansi says bringing more women into the male-dominated profession was important to boost gender equality.

“When we started, a number of our male counterparts felt threatened. Not only because of the gender but also because the course we took taught us a lot of things which some of them had learned on the job after years,” she says.

“Women are slowly getting to the front line of wildlife and landscape conservation, whether it’s being a ranger or even a guide. More female programmes have to be launched.”

‘I don’t want to stop here’

Looking resplendent in her boots and the matching forestgreen work suit, Mkansi held her rifle closely while she stood guard at the Letaba archaeological site to ensure safety, security and comfort, leaving guests in awe of how in control she was of the situation.

However, Mkansi was not always so confident. She says she was very shy and that working as a guide not only changed her life, but taught her to be confident, brave and also forced her to constantly study further.

“I love reading, anything that will build me as a person I will read or listen to. Our job requires you to be confident, vocal and to never stop learning,” she says.

“I don’t want to stop here. I want to push myself because I know I can do better and be better because it’s not about the monetary value of the job but the challenge and love for it.”

Meanwhile, when asked if there ever was a time she feared losing her life while protecting others, she cites an incident which she now looks back at with much laughter.

“One day, we took a group of eight guests on a night walk, and while we were walking a buffalo picked up on our scent and heard us coming. He lifted his head and sighed as if he would come charging at full speed,” she says while giggling.

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“But, fortunately for us, I think it was sick so it didn’t charge. But the guests wanted to run, so two of my male colleagues escorted them back and we were left behind. But we didn’t noticed that they had left.”

Leaning forward, Mkansi says she was surprised to see there was no one behind her. But she took charge of the situation along with another colleague because they did not want to distress the guests or the buffalo even further.

– reitumentse@citizen.co.za