THE COBRAS
Community Wildlife Protection Unit
The Cobras Community Wildlife Protection Unit are a group of scouts, all of whom are from the local villages. They have been trained in first aid, conservation education, communications, weapons handling, conservation law and rhino monitoring to be able to best support and protect the area's wildlife as well as alleviate human-wildlife tensions. They have trained hard and are the direct guardians of the CRCI rhinos.
They carry out important activities including rhino protection, patrolling for snares, wildlife management, firefighting, environmental education and human-wildlife conflict resolution. Our Cobras have been selected amongst many; their training is arduous and they have developed mental and physical competencies that make them respected across the area and able to inspire younger generations to become guardians of wildlife.
OUR MISSION
Protect communities, protect wildlife.
Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park is home to tremendous numbers of animals including elephants, lions, buffalos, hyena, cheetah and leopard. The communities living along the Park's southern boundary often get elephants destroying their crops or predators such as hyena and lion killing their domestic livestock. By protecting the communities from wildlife, the Cobras are alleviating significant anti-wildlife attitudes and potential for poaching. They are ultimately protecting the Park's wildlife.
OUR VISION
Community-based wildlife conservation.
Tourists travel from across the globe to discover Hwange's amazing wildlife but the local people often view this wildlife as a burden. Enabling frontline communities to benefit from wildlife conservation efforts (through employment, education, philanthropy and direct revenue from tourists coming to spend time with the CRCI rhinos) will encourage community-based conservation that simultaneously benefits people and wildlife.
