Poaching and illegal wildlife trading have engulfed the world along with the global trimming of greenery. These illegal activities pose a threat to the wildlife as well as the local communities depending on the resources.
Rangers are the front-line workers responsible for protecting and preserving protected parkland. They play a crucial role in conserving wild places and green spaces along with the diversity they support. They act as a shield without which the earth would witness more loss of biodiversity, deforestation and degradation of ecosystem. Along with the environment, the Rangers also safeguard the rights of people who are culturally connected with nature. Combating poaching and land grabbing are among the major duties the Rangers perform. They also guide tourists who come for information and experience. They are also responsible for providing information for any impending threat so that it can combated.
To commemorate the contribution of the Rangers to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the planet, World Ranger Day is observed globally on July 31 every year. On this day, tributes are paid to the Rangers who lost their lives or were injured in the line of duty.
Because of the risks involved, especially the threat of armed poachers, a lot of Rangers die every year doing their duties. It have been estimated that 1038 park Rangers have been killed in the past decade. The World Ranger Day is taken as an opportunity to pay homage to those brave guards.
The observance of this day began in 2007 to mark the 15th anniversary of the International Ranger Federation (IRF). IRF was founded on 31 July 1992 in Peak National Park in the UK. It is aimed at actively supporting and promoting Ranger associations across the world. It also has an official charity arm, The Thin Green Foundation which has managed to support families of around 300 fallen rangers and train thousands of Rangers.
International Ranger Federation (IRF) along with a group of international conservation organisations formed the Universal Ranger Support Alliance (URSA). The URSA is aimed at delivering a “new deal” for wildlife rangers. The action plan is scheduled to be launched on July 31 to implement the Chitwan Declaration, a declaration endorsed by more than 550 rangers from 70 countries at the International Ranger Federation (IRF) World Ranger Congress in 2019. More than 7,000 rangers from 28 countries, including India, contributed to a global survey initiated by the declaration. The findings of the survey have been compiled as ‘Life on the Frontline 2019‘, a first of its kind documentation of the untold dangers of a Ranger.
With so many protected areas and the risks of poaching, forest rangers play a very important role in the protection of the flora and fauna of Northeast India. Discover East salutes these hardworking people.
(Feature image source: elitereaders.com)
