Gender, Game and Guns : Gendered perceptions and lived experiences of militarised conservation in South Africa’s Kruger National Park

In response to rising wildlife crime, conservation efforts have become increasingly militarised by adopting paramilitary practices, training and personnel to counter poaching activities. Historically, these have been justified and shaped by masculinist perspectives. However, there have been increasing international calls to diversify conservation practices to improve the effectiveness of conservation itself. Despite the growing attention, gendered dynamics of militarised conservation remain largely understudied. A deeper understanding of this nexus is essential for advancing gender equality and ultimately encouraging transformative change towards global sustainability. Therefore, this study unpacks the lived experiences and subjective perceptions of conservationists within militarised conservation through empirical research in South Africa’s iconic Kruger National Park. The study employs interview-based and photo-informed qualitative research with both women and men to explore the gendered performances, experiences and challenges of working in militarised conservation. The results demonstrate how, in practice, performances of masculinity and militarisation are deeply intertwined and reinforce each other, which risks narrowing both participation in and possibilities of conservation. While intended to protect biodiversity under threat, militarised approaches deepen existing gendered inequalities and exacerbate violent wildlife conflict at the expense of nature and people alike. The findings highlight the social costs of militarised conservation and call for more inclusive practices that allow for diverse perspectives, knowledge and identities to thrive. This implies that for conservation policy and practice, alternative conservation approaches should be considered to ultimately improve overall biodiversity conservation outcomes and long-run sustainable development.