written by Kio Herrera

One night in late September, Leitah Mkhabele, 22, was patrolling South Africa’s Balule Nature Reserve when she heard poachers creeping through the underbrush. Mkhabele and Nkateko Mzimba, 24, stepped closer. Poachers had killed one of the reserve’s rhinoceroses the month before. The two women weren’t about to let it happen again. Mzimba radioed back to base for backup. The noise alerted the three poachers, who turned in her direction. Mkhabele was not armed. If one of the poachers had a gun, she could be shot. So she ran.