In Balule Nature Reserve, a woman’s place is in the bush, putting off poachers and protecting rhinos – even when heavily pregnant. Rough Guides travel editor Georgia Stephens (twitter.com/Stephens_GA) spoke to Charlie, Nkateko and Cute of the Black Mambas (www.blackmambas.org) about the realities of life in South Africa’s first ever majority-female anti-poaching unit, dealing not only with poachers and dangerous animals, but also ingrained prejudices about what a woman can achieve.

Thanks to our producer Alannah Chance of Reduced Listening (www.reducedlistening.co.uk). Episode photo by Georgia Stephens.