Just a week before this, a very different scene unfolded as our team celebrated the world premiere of GCC’s award-winning movie, Rhino Man. Offering a raw and emotional glimpse into the lives of South Africa’s courageous field rangers, the film centres on the late Anton Mzimba, Head Ranger of the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve, and a group of 41 aspiring rangers, each determined to defend rhinos from the threat of extinction due to poaching.
The culmination of many years of work, Rhino Man is as inspiring as it is profoundly emotional. Anton Mzimba’s incorruptible ethics and unshakeable passion for nature, which tragically cost him his life, is something he fervently believed in passing on to the next generation. Poignantly, one of his final scenes sees him guide his youngest son through the reserve as he iterates the importance of our children not losing this fragile connection to the wilderness. “What I’m doing, I’m not doing for my own sake. I’m doing this for the world and my children’s children, so that one day when I hang my boots, they will enjoy the wildlife.”
Yet, with poverty and ever-higher fences separating local communities surrounding the Kruger National Park from the nature within, we fear the dream Mzimba died for will remain just that. Will his children’s children live in a world where rhinos are more than just memories in books? Will they have the chance to see these magnificent creatures themselves?
This is where Koru Camp and the Future Rangers Program comes in to play. Through GCC’s lessons, skills training and immersive camps at Koru, the program not only creates an opportunity for disadvantaged children to enjoy the magnificent wildlife on their doorstep as Mzimba wished for, but is also inspiring and developing a new generation of protectors.
In the days following the premiere, the words of Rhino Man still played heavily on our hearts. As the excitable group of Future Rangers launched onto the game vehicle ready for their first safari, it reaffirmed everything we hope and strive for here at Koru. Between morning and afternoon game drives, the team at GCC interlaced activities designed to build confidence, foster leadership and explore the various avenues of a career in conservation. The simple fact that each girl is here and able to enjoy the wildlife of the Greater Kruger is more than a testament to the sacrifices of devoted rangers every day. It is a continuation of their legacy.
The shocking realisation of the dangers that South Africa’s rangers face is a truth that has been hidden from mainstream awareness. Without expectation of recognition or reward, they risk their lives out of sheer love and dedication to their cause. Thanks to the Global Conservation Corps, the heroic work of these men and women is finally being recognized. Though they have lost great warriors in the fight, these rangers do not seek pity. They are intensely proud of what they do and hope only to inspire others to rise up and protect rhinos and our precious wildlife for many generations to come. At Koru Camp, we are beyond proud to partner with GCC, supporting and inspiring the rangers and guardians of the future.
