Meet Loisaba’s Female Rangers: Four Women on Conservation, Community, and What the Job Really Demands

 Published for World Female Ranger Week, 23–30 June 2026

Every day at Loisaba Conservancy, women are doing conservation work. One is tracking rhino movements across the conservancy and relaying information to rangers in the field. Another is the communications link between patrol teams and base, monitoring sightings and coordinating responses in real time. Two more are preparing their dogs before dawn, running training exercises and deploying on operations that take them through the bush at night, into terrain shared with buffalo, elephants, and rhino.

This is not a recent development. Female rangers have long been part of how conservation works at Loisaba. But World Female Ranger Week - which runs 23–30 June 2026, organised by the How Many Elephants NGO - is an opportunity to hear from them directly.

Dora Nabik — Rhino Database Manager

From Kirimon community, Laikipia

Dora Nabik grew up in the Kirimon community, in the Laikipia highlands. She watched, from early on, the way conservation and community life ran alongside each other - how each could support the other when the relationship was right. That observation became a direction.

Today, Dora manages Loisaba’s rhino database. She monitors ranger patrols and wildlife movements using EarthRanger, compiles rhino sighting reports, and coordinates information between teams in the field and those at base. It is a role that requires precision: the data she handles informs anti-poaching decisions and wildlife monitoring across the conservancy.

“One of the most important skills for my job that people might not expect is listening. Because I am responsible for receiving and relaying information between teams, I need to listen carefully and pay close attention to details. Accurate communication is essential in conservation operations, as even small misunderstandings can affect ranger patrols, wildlife monitoring, or incident responses.”

On what a good day at work looks like: high rhino sightings and all rangers returning safely to their stations after patrol. “These moments give me confidence that our conservation work is going well and that both wildlife and people are being well protected.”

Her favourite animal is the oryx. She admires its ability to endure extreme conditions - extreme heat, scarce water, difficult terrain - and to thrive in landscapes that would defeat most others.

On the question of women in conservation, Dora is direct. “At first, I believed the stereotype that conservation was mainly a field for men. Since joining Loisaba, I have realised that through confidence, dedication, and hard work, there is a place for women in conservation. Success in this field is determined by commitment, skill, and passion rather than gender.”

What she wants people to understand about her work is: “Conservation is built on teamwork. Behind every successful conservation effort, there is a dedicated team working together in different roles to achieve the same goal.”

Catherine Naserian Kiseperi — Ranger / Radio Operator

From Naibunga Central, Laikipia North

Catherine Naserian Kiseperi has known about Loisaba for a long time. Growing up in Naibunga Central, she used to follow the conservancy through its website and watch its vehicles delivering support to communities in the area. The impression it made was lasting.

“That made a strong impression on me, and I knew I wanted to be part of that story one day. When I later saw an opportunity advertised, I applied, and that is how I got started at Loisaba.”

Catherine is now a ranger and radio operator. Her role is not field patrol in the traditional sense - it is the communications infrastructure that makes field patrol possible. She monitors and receives patrol reports, tracks wildlife sightings, and ensures that rangers in the bush have accurate, timely information.

She describes the core skill of the role in terms that apply equally to conservation and to most things that matter:

“Strong communication and listening skills, especially in roles like radio operations. Many people do not realise that conservation involves different support roles beyond field patrols. In my role, I need to listen carefully, accurately, and interpret data so that the right information is shared quickly and clearly.”

A good day, for Catherine, is smooth communication and clear coordination. When everything runs well, she says, the work is more efficient and more rewarding. When rangers report strong wildlife sightings, it tells her that what the team is doing is working.

She entered a profession that was, and in many parts of the world still is, dominated by men. Her read on how things have changed at Loisaba: “There is now greater acceptance of both male and female rangers. People have seen that women are equally capable in conservation roles.”

To a young woman in Laikipia considering the same path, she says: “Follow your dreams and pursue your passion. Conservation is a rewarding field that offers many opportunities for growth, learning, and making a real difference.”

Her favourite animal is the gerenuk - for its distinctive long neck and slender build, its small family groups, and its unusual feeding behaviour. An animal that stands out.

Jane Ntetekwa Kaparo — Ranger / Dog Handler

From Naibunga Central, Laikipia North

Jane Ntetekwa Kaparo’s path to Loisaba began with the Naibunga Scholarship Programme. Conservation support funded her education; that exposure shaped her direction. Eventually, the path led her to Loisaba, where she now works as a ranger and dog handler.

Her day starts with the dogs. She checks they are healthy and fit, takes them through training exercises, monitors their performance, and ensures they are ready for deployment. The work is methodical and physical - long distances on foot, in all weather.

“Walking long distances in all kinds of weather conditions, whether it is raining or under intense heat. Sometimes the sun is so strong that it can affect the dogs’ performance and endurance. Despite these challenges, we continue with the work because it is important for maintaining effective patrols.”

The skill most people would not associate with the job, Jane says, is first aid. “As a dog handler, I need to be prepared to respond quickly if a dog is injured or unwell, especially during training or field operations.” Equally important: patience. Building trust with a working dog takes time, consistency, and understanding.

The K9 unit’s work extends beyond wildlife protection. The dogs assist in recovering stolen items for community members, which has helped reduce conflict cases and build trust between Loisaba and its neighbours. It is conservation work in the broadest sense - protecting wildlife and strengthening relationships at the same time.

A good operational day is a successful one. As a ranger, Jane says, a good day is sighting many animals of different species. “It gives me morale to even wake up the next day.”

Ranger work has changed how she sees conservation. “I now have a greater appreciation of what conservation truly involves on the ground. I have also learned that being a ranger requires strong personal drive and a genuine passion for wildlife, because the work can be demanding but is ultimately very rewarding.”

Her favourite animal is the elephant. She admires their family bonds, their social intelligence, and the fact that they mourn their dead. “Their intelligence, emotional depth, and strong family bonds make them especially remarkable.”

Jackline Kikulet Poronto — Ranger / Dog Handler

From Naibunga Lower

Jackline Kikulet Poronto grew up watching Loisaba from the outside. She saw the scholarships it provided, the support it offered to communities, and the rangers who carried out its work. She admired the uniform. She wanted to be part of it.

She is now a ranger and dog handler, and her typical day begins the same way as Jane’s: preparing the dogs, running training, building the teamwork that field operations depend on. But Jackline’s account of the job is distinct in one particular detail.

“Working during night operations, when we may encounter wildlife such as buffaloes, rhinos, and elephants. These situations require a high level of awareness, discipline, and calm decision-making.”

Night operations with dangerous wildlife in close proximity. The kind of work that does not get talked about much outside of the people who do it.

The skill that defines her role, she says, is something people rarely associate with conservation: understanding how a dog communicates. “I have learned that with proper training, dogs can understand short, clear commands and respond immediately and accurately. Understanding this communication and building that relationship is a key part of my work.”

Like Jane, Jackline admires the K9 unit’s role in the community: the dogs help recover stolen items, which reduces conflict and builds goodwill. “I become a role model and show them the positive side of conservation.”

Ranger work has shown her something she wants others to understand too. “Conservation creates opportunities such as employment and support for local development. It has also helped build a strong and positive relationship between Loisaba and the surrounding communities. Conservation is not only about protecting wildlife, but also about improving livelihoods.”

Her message to any young woman in Laikipia considering this path is the plainest of all four:

“There is no hard work that a woman cannot do.”

Her favourite animal, in keeping with her work, is the dog. “They are loyal, intelligent, and highly trainable. They form a genuine bond with human beings.”

Conservation as it actually works

All four rangers grew up in the communities that surround Loisaba. All four chose conservation because of what they saw Loisaba do - the scholarships, the community vehicles, the work happening on the land they grew up on. All four are now part of protecting the same landscape.

World Female Ranger Week exists to make this kind of work visible. At Loisaba, it has always been part of how conservation operates.

To find out more about World Female Ranger Week and support female rangers globally, visit worldfemalerangerweek.org.