Nhlakanipho has worked as a Community Conservation Monitor with Wildlife ACT since the end of 2022, working within the Cotlands community in Northern KwaZulu-Natal as part of the Human-Wildlife Coexistence Programme. Having grown up protecting livestock in rural KwaZulu-Natal, he brings a lifelong connection to the land and a strong sense of purpose to his community-based conservation work.
Nhlakanipho was born and raised in the Nongoma area of KwaZulu-Natal, where he learned from a young age to protect livestock and domestic animals, an early grounding that shaped his lifelong connection to the natural world. Before joining Wildlife ACT, he spent several years working in fuel retail. He joined Wildlife ACT at the end of 2022 as a Community Conservation Monitor.
Nhlakanipho is responsible for working within the Cotlands community in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, reporting any issues or concerns he encounters outside the protected areas surrounding the community, including removing snares and reporting wild animals that have moved beyond reserve boundaries.
His work has been vital in keeping the management authorities of surrounding protected areas and other stakeholders informed of potential human-wildlife conflict, and he plays an important role in strengthening the relationship between protected areas and his community through good communication. Nhlakanipho also shares his knowledge of the natural world with local community youth, helping them understand why protecting the environment matters.
Outside of work, Nhlakanipho enjoys listening to music and is currently building his own home from the ground up.
“I feel proud to be inspiring people on why it is so important to conserve the environment.”