Top award for St Lucia field ranger

ARGUABLY the most prestigious award at the annual Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Excellence Awards is that of Field Ranger of the Year, named in honour of Dr Ian Player’s mentor and friend, Magqubu Ntombela.

This year saw the Magqubu Ntombela Award go to Thulani Zulu of the St Lucia Anti-poaching Unit (APU).

Supporting his nomination, it was said that not only is Zulu good at his work, but he demonstrates professionalism with insight and care towards his colleagues and community members with whom he interacts.

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Zulu has bravely performed the critical task of combating poaching in three of Ezemvelo’s protected areas.

Early career
After finishing matric at the St Victor High School near Ulundi, Zulu joined Ezemvelo as a general assistant in 1996 and was based at the Ophathe Game Reserve.

After three years, his potential was recognised and he completed a basic field rangers course before being deployed to the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park for two years.

Zulu’s skill in gathering intelligence was the reason he was then posted to the Tembe Elephant Park, where he was appointed as a specialist field ranger.

He has been serving in the St Lucia APU since 2013.

Described as being ‘fiercely determined’, an ‘exceptionally hard worker with great endurance in combating the scourge of poaching’, Zulu was considered a worthy winner of the award.

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