Today is World Rangers Day, a day dedicated to our frontline green warriors defending and protecting our forests and wildlife. World Rangers Day is celebrated worldwide on 31 July to commemorate rangers killed or injured in the line of duty, and to celebrate the work rangers do to protect the planet’s natural treasures and cultural heritage.
World Rangers Day is an International Ranger Federation initiative promoted together with The Thin Green Line. This year’s theme is ‘30 by 30’, based on the 2022 UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15), where a framework was agreed upon by world leaders and decision makers. Target 3 outlined a requirement that at least 30 per cent of the planet is effectively conserved and managed by 2030 (30 by 30).
Many Indian Forest Service officers took to Twitter to wish and honour the rangers who toil day and night on the field.
Senior IFS officer Ramesh Pandey shared a photo from his personal collection with the caption, “World Rangers Day reminds me of field days and time spent with our foot soldiers.”
World Ranger Day reminds me of field days and time spent with our foot soldiers. #WorldRangersDay pic.twitter.com/JxPhTJL9nj
— Ramesh Pandey (@rameshpandeyifs) July 31, 2023
Kanha Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh posted a poster with the banner, ‘Wildlife Ranger, Who Am I?’ It gives nine details of a ranger and the kind of work he does.
#Rangers have had a significant impact on conservation in @minforestmp. Their tireless efforts and commitment have helped to #protect, #manage and #conserve our diverse #wildlife populations and their #habitats.#WorldRangersDay pic.twitter.com/4fn7ZLIZZY
— Kanha Tiger Reserve (@TrKanha) July 31, 2023
IFS officer Mahesh Kumar tweeted that 1000 rangers have lost their lives in the last ten years. “This means every four days a wildlife protection ranger is killed in the line of duty. Rangers are critical in achieving ‘zero poaching’”.
According to the Thin Green Line Foundation, 1,000 #Rangers have lost their lives in the last ten years. This means every four days a wildlife protection ranger is killed in the line of duty.
— Mahesh Kumar (@mahesh_ifs) July 31, 2023
Rangers are critical in achieving 'zero poaching' Mike Baltzer#StandWithRangers pic.twitter.com/PQRTEpuSrh
Wishing all rangers on their special day, IFS officer Dr. Samrat Gowda, Deputy Director of Odisha’s Simlipal Tiger Reserve famous for its black tigers, tweeted a video of the melanistic tigers with the caption, “Hardwork, commitment, dedication and supreme sacrifice of our staff is visible in results… Simlipal tiger numbers have doubled compared to 2018 census.”
Hardwork, commitment, dedication and supreme sacrifice of our staff is visible in results… Similipal tiger numbers have doubled compared to 2018 census.. wish you all a very happy world ranger day. pic.twitter.com/XFUrykootk
— Dr.Samrat Gowda IFS (@IfsSamrat) July 31, 2023
Indian Masterminds salutes the custodians of our biodiversity on World Rangers Day 2023.
