Kanyembo’s inspiring journey to protecting Zambia’s wildlife

Law Enforcement Advisor for Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) Benson Kanyembo is an example of dedication, leadership, and resilience in the fight to protect Zambia’s wildlife.

Kanyembo’s remarkable journey—from a village scout to celebrated conservation leader—is a story of hope and inspiration, and a reminder of the transformative power of hard work, commitment, and wider recognition from international events including the Tusk Conservation Awards.

Tusk is an international charity that partners with more than 60 Africa-based and African-led conservation organisations in 23 countries across the continent.

Kanyembo’s story is one of perseverance and passion. Starting his career as a carrier, he worked his way up to become head ranger at CSL, where he now oversees 117 community-supported rangers and leads innovative initiatives to combat poaching and human-wildlife conflict.

The 54-years-old’s leadership has not only transformed CSL but has also earned him regional recognition, including roles as chairperson of the Zambian chapter of the Game Rangers Association of Africa and representative for rangers at international fora.

In 2019, he won the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award, becoming only the second Zambian to do so.

In 2020, Kanyembo won two prestigious awards – the African Ranger Award sponsored by Alibaba Foundation and Paradise Foundation. He also scooped the first runner-up Best Game Ranger – Rhino Conservation Award.

“It was an honour to win – I think it has helped a lot of people to see that regardless of your background and where you’ve come from, people will still look at your work and recognize what you are doing,” sats Kanyembo, who boasts of 31 years in resources protection.

Kanyembo’s work with the team at Conservation South Luangwa preserves the biodiversity and natural heritage of Zambia’s South Luangwa region. The organisation takes a broad approach.

It is a partner to government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and research institutions, jointly working towards the responsible and sustainable use of natural resources.

Its rangers patrol to monitor the wildlife, conduct anti-poaching operations, and help restore habitat. The team actively engages communities in South Luangwa through education, capacity building, and sustainable tourism initiatives, empowering communities to continue to be the best stewards of Zambia’s natural environment while improving their livelihoods and resilience to challenges including climate change.

One of Kanyembo’s proudest achievements, together with the human wildlife co-existence team, is the growth of the South Luangwa Rapid Response Unit (RRU), a team dedicated to addressing human-wildlife conflict. The RRU, which includes community scouts and government wildlife officers, operates a 24/7 hotline for locals to report incidents, from elephant raids to crocodile attacks.

“At CSL we work hand in hand with the community, demonstrating practical approaches to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, using smelly fences made from petrol, onion, garlic, rotten eggs, which repels the elephants, polywire solar fences, and planting chillis,” Kanyembo explains.

“But protecting our natural resources is a shared responsibility, people know that we scouts can’t be everywhere so instead of expecting us to do everything, we urge everyone to stand up and contribute actively to conservation.”

By Benedict Tembo