Posted on 10:00am Monday 30th Jul 2018
Around the world there are many people who are willing to put their lives on the line in order to protect endangered animals.
Sadly, estimates suggest that over 1,000 rangers have been killed in the line of duty over the past 10 years.
World Ranger Day is a chance for all of us to show our appreciation for the work that wildlife rangers and guardians do and offer our support in whatever way we can.
Act for Wildlife, led by Chester Zoo, can give you a good idea of what a day in the life of a ranger could be like. They have been supporting Big Life's efforts to preserve the black rhino in the Chyulu Hills, Kenya, for 14 years.
And it's good to know that there is something you can do to help wildlife and locals in their communities at the same time, and we thought we'd do a roundup of charities and organisations working to help in this way. Sometimes wildlife rangers are called wildlife guardians.
The Thin Green Line Foundation
Based in Australia, the Foundation works with ranger groups, ranger associations and conservation partners in over 60 countries. They say it's estimated that over 1,000 park rangers have been killed n the line of duty over the past 10 years. They are dedicated to providing Rangers worldwide with the assistance they deserve and need. The online community Avaaz.org currently has a campaign running with the Thin Green Line Foundation to raise sufficient funds to sponsor 1,000 rangers a year to deploy the worst poaching hotspots in Africa. 300 rangers with this training virtually stopped elephant poaching in one huge area of Kenya. Please donate if you can and if you can't donate, please share and spread the word.
The World Land Trust
The World Land Trust has a Keepers of the Wild initiative. The rangers are working on the front line of conservation, safeguarding some of the world's most threatened animals and the crucial habitats in which they live. They protect reserves from poaching and logging, and importantly, link to local communities, building trust, helping to change attitudes and find practical solutions to problems. You can support Keepers of the Wild by making a donation.
The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation works to support Game Rangers International, which empowers rangers and local communities to conserve nature. You can Adopt a Wildlife Guardian from the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and help these rangers conserve nature.
The Global Conservation Force
This organisation works to save wildlife from extinction through education, anti-poaching and conservation efforts. It does this by using anti-poaching units, awareness and education and on the ground action, working on wildlife's problems. You can adopt a ranger (also there's a K9 poacher tracking unit) – find out what the options are to adopt a ranger here.
The Gorilla Organisation
The Gorilla Organisation has a supporting rangers scheme in the Democratic Republic of Congo and they act as the eyes, ears and voice of the forest. They cut snaes, save injured gorillas, combat the militias running the blood minerals trade, monitor the gorillas' health and collect vital conservation data every day. Find out more here.
WWF has a Back a Ranger campaign to ensure they have the equipment, training and infrastructure they need to stop wildlife crime. Find out more here.
The Wildlife Alliance
You can support a wildlife ranger station in the rainforests of South East Asia where forest rangers work to protect some of the world's most endangered animals including Asian elephant, pileated gibbon, Sunda pangolin, Asiatic black bear, Siamese crocodile, giant ibis, and dhole. The biggest threats facing these species is habitat loss and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade. The organisation is based in NY. You can donate on a monthly basis or do a one off. There are a number of different stations to choose from – make your choice here dependign on the animal whose station you want to support e.g. clouded leopard, pangolin, sun bear, Siamese crocodile, Asian elephant,, the gibbon, green peafowl etc.
The charity Tusk give a Wildlife Ranger Award every year to give international recognition to the men and women who face danger every day to protect the wildlife and its ecosystems in Africa.
You can also thank rangers for what they are doing at United for Wildlife and do check out their Ranger TV. United for Wildlife was created by The Royal Foundation and it unites the world's leading wildlife charities with one common purpose: to create a global movement for change.
And a very big thank you to each and every wildlife ranger working to care for and protect our wildlife and their habitats.
Please everyone show you support them too.