A powerful photo story capturing the courage, care, and quiet resilience of Kenyan women balancing life on wildlife patrol with love at home.
Photography & story: Maureen Gathoni
Location: Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya
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Before the sun rises over the savannah, women across Kenya are already awake. Boots are pulled on in quiet homes. Radios are checked. Children still sleep while their mothers prepare to step into landscapes where danger is part of the job description.
This photo story was captured in 2023 by Kenyan filmmaker Maureen Gathoni, whose aim was simple and intentional, to document the raw, unfiltered reality of women working in wildlife protection. Inspired by her own mother, Caroline Wanjiru Nyokabi, the first female ranger and radio operator at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Maureen set out to photograph not just the work, but the life that surrounds it.
The result is an honest portrait of female rangers and veterinarians at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, moments of strength and vulnerability, danger and tenderness, patrol and parenthood, captured exactly as they are.
On the Front Line
Lucy Wangari begins her day by pulling on her patrol boots inside her home before heading out on foot. Rhino patrols are long, physically demanding, and unpredictable. Rangers face real danger, from lions, buffalo, elephants, and aggressive rhinos, often with no immediate backup.
On patrol, Lucy encounters buffalo, chasing them away to protect herself and her team. Every step through the bush requires focus, awareness, and calm decision-making. Fear is part of the landscape, but it never defines the job.
In a quieter moment, Lucy gently touches Najin, one of the last two female northern white rhinos left on Earth. The contact is brief, but the weight of responsibility is immense. Protecting Najin isn’t just about today; it’s about holding on to what little remains.
Precision, Skill, and Care
Wildlife protection extends far beyond patrols. Veterinarian Florence Kang’ethe works in high-pressure environments where precision is critical. During a bushbuck capture and translocation, she carefully aims a dart gun, every calculation matters, and there is no margin for error.
Florence also treats injured wildlife, including endangered Grevy’s zebras. Even within fenced reserves, these animals remain wild, unpredictable, and dangerous. The work requires confidence, experience, and deep respect for the animals in her care.
Away from the field, Florence spends hours examining samples under a microscope, monitoring animal health and preventing disease. Much of conservation happens quietly, away from the spotlight, in labs, offices, and long nights of analysis.
Life Beyond the Uniform
For these women, the work doesn’t end when patrols are over.
Beatrice Nashangin feeds her baby, Daisy, during a work break inside her home. Motherhood continues alongside the demands of ranger life, there is no clear separation between duty and family.
Caroline Wanjiru helps her son with homework at home within the conservancy. Caroline made history as the first female ranger and radio operator at Ol Pejeta, breaking barriers for women who followed. Now, she is shaping the future in a different way, by example.
Later, Caroline hangs her uniform outside. Her son watches with a torch, waiting for her return. For every ranger on patrol, there is someone at home counting the hours until they come back safely.
Connection Across Distance
After long days on patrol, Lucy speaks to her family by phone from her home. Even when surrounded by vast wild landscapes, the pull of family remains constant.
These women don’t choose between protecting wildlife and caring for their families. They do both, every day.
Why These Stories Matter
The women of Ol Pejeta Conservancy are not just protecting endangered species. They are redefining what leadership in the wild looks like.
Their strength isn’t only found on patrol, it lives in the quiet moments at home, the early mornings, the long days, and the unwavering commitment to both nature and family.
Maureen Gathoni (she/her) is a dedicated conservation photographer from Kenya. Her work entails documenting the interconnected stories of people, wildlife and conservation. Her goal is to create meaningful visual stories that inspire conservation action and support environmental and conservation protection.
Maureen’s aspiration comes from her mother who was the first female ranger in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya and is inspired to document heroes like her mother who are driving change in conservation.
