Akashinga – the female anti-poaching unit

I love this short BBC video about the all-women anti-poaching unit in Zimbabwe. It brings tears to my eyes to watch, not just for the elephants they’re protecting, but for the women and how the job has transformed their lives. They are the Akashinga – the brave ones. It’s part of the International Anti-poaching Foundation, an organisation run by a former Australian military sniper, Damien Mander

Mander and the women are all vegan to avoid the hypocrisy of protecting one animal while eating another. I often wonder how people can pet their dog while carving up a pig.

I read recently that there are twice as many vegan women as men in the UK so I’m always pleased to see male vegans, especially military types who would typically shun the diet. I’m not sure why men are so slow on the uptake. I suspect some people think meat is manly and required for big muscles. This is not true. Google vegan body builder or follow Patrik Baboumian on Instagram.

Apparently a vegan diet can even give men better erections.

There’s also something very attractive about a man with a conscience – which is typically why people are vegan – and who has compassion for others. No one likes a self-centred asshole who only cares about himself. It might sound cliche but the saying is true: real men are kind to animals.