Held in honour of conservation heroes across the globe, this year’s World Ranger Day also exposed a disturbing trend in the ranger profession.
Besides acknowledging the work they do, World Ranger Day (celebrated on Sunday 31 July) also commemorates rangers killed or injured in the line of duty.
A total of 150 names appear on this year’s annual Roll of Honour released by the International Ranger Federation (IRF) with the Thin Green Line Foundation. Shared ahead of World Ranger Day, the roll lists those rangers who lost their lives in the line of duty this past year. According to these two organisations, this figure is higher than the numbers reported in 2020 and the second highest number of ranger deaths recorded since recording started in 2006 (“World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) South Africa, 31 July).
Among those names is Anton Mzimba, head of ranger services at the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve in the Greater Kruger National Park. Mzimba was gunned down in his home on Tuesday 26 July. His wife was also shot and injured in the attack. It is suspected that the shooters are linked to a rhino horn trafficking cartel.
A moment of silence was held for Mzimba during a virtual World Ranger Day event organised by the SANParks Honorary Rangers (SHR), the official volunteer organisation of South African National Parks (SANParks), on Saturday 30 July.
International conservation organisations who contributed to the online event streamed via Zoom included SANParks, Game Rangers Association of Africa (GRAA), National Park Service (US), Peace Parks Foundation, WWF South Africa (in partnership with USAID) and the SANParks SEAM (Sea, Air and Mountain) team.
According to information released by GRAA, Africa has seen the highest number of ranger deaths on record this past year.
“GRAA has recorded 100 ranger deaths on the continent since June 2021, of which 95 were in the line of duty. At least 565 African rangers have been killed in action since 2011. Of these, 295 have been murdered by militia groups, terrorists and bandits in coordinated attacks or by poachers while protecting our wildlife and wild places,” a statement released by the non-profit organisation read.
Founded in 1970, GRAA is the oldest and largest ranger association in Africa. With 1 800 members across 25 countries, the NPO aims to support rangers with the necessary capability and support to protect, conserve and, where possible, restore Africa’s biodiversity.
Speaking during the online event, Executive Director of GRAA Andrew Campbell said that while rangers were mandated to enforce environmental law, they were involved in a lot more than just law enforcement. He said their duties often included working with trained dogs to track and detect poachers, the biological monitoring of species, fire management, the relocation of game, the control of alien invasive species, and supporting and working alongside communities.
And they did so while working against all odds. According to Campbell, the average ranger earned less than $50 (R832,45) despite working very long hours (often six weeks away from home to return for two weeks). He said their latest research had shown that only 50% had life insurance and only 40% had disability insurance. A staggering 59% didn’t have the right equipment to keep them safe out in the field while 40% of rangers felt that they weren’t adequately trained.
Campbell said supporting rangers benefitted all species. “Everyone benefits from their presence and the work they do”.
Giving an insight into the life of rangers, members of the SANParks SEAM team shared some of their experiences during the online event. Charged with tightening up safety and security at Table Mountain National Park, the 18-strong team, which includes a re-established K9 Unit with six trained dogs, covers multiple functions, main of which are visitor safety, search and rescue for lost persons and illicit wildlife crime such as abalone poaching.
These special operations rangers came online, so to speak, following their passing-out parade held at the Newlands Fire Base in December last year (“SEAM team rolls out”, People’s Post, 7 December 2021).
To protect their identities in respect of the high-risk work they do, the rangers’ faces were blurred and their names withheld during the online event.
A ranger stationed in the operations room said with poachers seemingly always a step ahead, they had to be five steps ahead.
“What I love about my job is I get to see everything and assist in the background. I get to see successes and aid operations. The information gathering system in TNMP is quite discreet due to the information being sensitive.”
A dog handler who forms part of the K9 Unit described what happened when they crossed paths with a group of poachers.
“It was a mountainous area. It was about four or five suspects. The moment my dog got to the first two guys, the other guys knew they could not outrun us. I then called my dog back. My colleagues were behind me.”
He said dog handlers needed to know what the risks were for them and their dogs.
“You don’t know what they have on them, they could harm your dog.”
Equally important, he said, was the understanding that they had with their colleagues.
“You must also ensure (the dogs) are familiar with your colleagues and not mistake them for the suspects you are pursuing.”
