For the Love of Wildlife
Bibiana Matunda had always dreamt of being in the wild. As a child, she learned about wildlife from her grandparents, particularly how her community—the Taita people—interacted with nature. Despite growing up near Tsavo National Park, the largest national park in Kenya, Bibiana never had the opportunity to visit the park.
Her dream became a reality five years ago when she was recruited as a ranger at Lumo Conservancy. At just 24 years old, Bibiana is one of only four female rangers out of 22 and the youngest.
Her passion for wildlife, combined with her adventurous spirit, led her to acquire motorbike riding skills—something she never imagined would become so valuable. In 2023, Lumo Conservancy procured two motorcycles through funding from BIOPAMA to support anti-poaching efforts. Bibiana, having already mastered motorbike riding skills, was involved in selecting the motorcycles. “I recommended bikes that were similar to those used by poachers, which helps us blend in during our rapid response missions,” she explains.
Since the motorcycles were introduced, Bibiana says their patrolling efforts have greatly improved. “Previously, we only had one patrol vehicle, so our mobility was limited,” she notes. “There were also areas that vehicles couldn’t access, especially during the rainy season. But with the motorcycles, we can move much faster and reach areas of the bush and thickets where poachers hide.”
Reflecting on the effectiveness of their patrols, Bibiana admits that the motorcycles have been essential in carrying out ambushes and have significantly increased the number of poachers arrested. “The motorcycles complement the vehicle patrols and have greatly improved our rapid response time. In addition, the two mobile ranger outposts have also enabled us to be more present across the entire conservancy enhancing our efficiency,” she says.
The mobile outposts consist of two large tents, mattresses and beddings each designed to accommodate six rangers, and another mini tent attached to one of the larger tents are roted and pitched at different sections of the conservancy where poaching threats is high. Bibiana confidently claims the mini-tent as hers. She is daring but passion gets her to joins her male colleagues for night patrols where she spends time camping in the wild under the stars, chatting, cooking, and sharing stories with them. “I love the wild and the thrill that comes with the sounds of nature,” she says. “I feel more at peace in nature than with humans and it brings me great joy to be in the midst of wildlife, watching and protecting them.” She says.
Thanks to the IUCN BIOPAMA Medium grant, Lumo Conservancy, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA), has been working to enhance the capacity of its rangers through various training programs and equipping them for effectiveness.
Through a Site-Level Assessment on Governance and Equity (SAGE) carried out in 2021, the finding revealed awareness and technical capacity gaps in the ranger workforce. Through the grant, KWCA and Lumo have supported various trainings including an onsite 30 days ranger training covering human rights, data collection, drill, leadership and communication skills. Additional training skills on data collection through SMART and Earth Ranger tools have improved data collection skills. The rangers have also received uniforms, part-time salaries, vehicle fuel, and food rations, further improving their ability to carry out their vital work.