World Ranger Day is today: Commemorating guardians of Sri Lanka’s natural resources

Wildlife rangers are the first responders to any situation, be it an injured leopard or a problem elephant in a village. Here these officials are seen treating an injured elephant    (Pix courtesy DWC) 

• According to the International Ranger Federation around 140 rangers in 37 countries are reported to have lost their lives while working to protect nature
• In Sri Lanka, at least 11 wildlife rangers have been killed while on duty from 1957 to 2023

There are certain professions in this world that are only for the adventurous souls. The role of a wildlife ranger is a similar one. Unless for their passion for adventure and conservation, there’s no other driving factor that would keep them engaged in this profession. Living in harsh conditions with limited basic facilities such as power supply, water and poor reception, wildlife rangers are exposed to life-threatening situations on a daily basis in their line of duty. Today (July 31) is World Ranger Day, a day to commemorate and honour their service, dedication and ultimate sacrifice while on duty to guard natural resources in the world.  

First responders to incidents in the wild 

In Sri Lanka, there are 906 law enforcement officers at the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) out of which 171 are wildlife rangers. The main national parks in the country come under the purview of Grade I wildlife rangers. Around 14% of the country’s land belongs to the DWC as these lands are wildlife protected areas. Therefore the rangers oversee tourism, conservation, park management, poaching and other matters related to a National Park. “Range offices are located near Nature Reserves and Strict Nature Reserves and we intervene in places where the human-wildlife conflict has arisen,” said Srinath Dissanayake, General Secretary, Sri Lankan Wildlife Ranger Association (SLWRA). “Wildlife rangers are the first responders to any situation, be it an injured leopard, a problem elephant in a village etc. It is the DWC that should respond to any matter associated with wild animals. We enforce the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordinance (FFPO) which includes several categories including Strict Nature Reserve, Nature Reserve, National Park and Sanctuary in addition to the Managed Elephant Reserves and even elephant corridors. In addition to range offices, there are Wildlife Beat Offices in each zone which also falls under the purview of the Assistant Director,” said Dissanayake. 

The scope of duty of a wildlife ranger includes ensuring the protected status of protected areas. In addition wildlife rangers should respond to cases of animals abandoned and injured in the wild and poaching cases outside protected areas. Wildlife rangers can issue their recommendations with regards to large scale projects on whether they are suitable or not. “We have to manage the human-leopard conflict in the highlands and in the dry zone we have to manage the human-elephant conflict. In addition to law enforcement we also conduct research and engage in raising awareness among communities. Wildlife officers are also deployed to veterinary offices in each zone. There are doctors who also contribute to conservation. But it is the wildlife officers who come into direct contact with poachers and wild animals,” he said. 

The ultimate sacrifice 

According to the International Ranger Federation (IRF) around 140 rangers in 37 countries are reported to have lost their lives while working to protect nature, and over 1300 rangers have died on duty in the last ten years alone. These deaths only account for those recorded through the IRF network, and they acknowledge that many ranger deaths go unreported and unrecorded due to the remoteness of their work. In Sri Lanka, at least 11 wildlife rangers have been killed while on duty from 1957 to 2023. Some of the main reasons for these deaths include attacks by terrorists during the height of the war, attacks by wild animals, poachers and many other reasons. 

Speaking about the sacrifices made by wildlife offices, Dissanayake said that in the case of a death, there is a compensation scheme that is being facilitated by the DWC. “But there is no special compensation. However the IRF and Thin Green Line Foundation provide funds to families of officials who have died while in service. In Sri Lanka we have the DWC and Forest Conservation Department for conservation activities. But in India for example they only have the Forest Department. However the role played by a wildlife ranger in Sri Lanka is something unique to Asia because such a role doesn’t exist in India and can only be seen in Africa and Europe. The DWC has the jurisdiction for conservation and conservation only. The main priority is to protect wildlife resources by enforcing the law and to preserve them for future generations. 

Honouring dedication, commitment and sacrifice

Since the DWC has too many responsibilities on its shoulders Dissanayake took the lead in initiating the SLWRA in 2019. This Association had been established with the aim of honouring wildlife officers for their service.  SLWRA also provides honourary memberships to senior officers and engages them in the profession throughout their lifetime. The SLWRA is a registered member of the International Ranger Federation. Srinath is the only Sri Lankan wildlife ranger to have obtained a membership as an associate member at the IRF. He is also the South Asian Representative at the Asian Ranger Federation. Dissanayake is planing to represent Sri Lanka at the World Ranger Congress to be held in France this October. 

As per the International Ranger Federation, the definition of a ranger includes conservation professionals as well. Therefore irrespective of whether it is a range assistant, wildlife guard or assistant director everybody falls under this definition. Speaking about the World Ranger Day, Dissanayake said that this Day is not only dedicated for Rangers, but all conservation professionals. “Even forest officers are included because their job roles include conservation activities. The main objective of the International Ranger Federation is knowledge sharing among all conservation professionals in the world. On July 31we celebrate and commemorate conservation professionals engaged in service and those who have died in their line of duty due to various reasons. The Role of Honour includes a list of professionals who have sacrificed their lives. Wildlife officers are exposed to various threats while apprehending illegal activities that happen in protected areas,” he added.

Specialised training

When a wildlife ranger, range assistant or wildlife guard is being recruited to the Department the individual is given a special training on manoeuvring weapons, field techniques and other skills to ensure safety during duty. Dissanayake further said that the officers have also been familiarised on crime scene investigations, research activities and other programmes to enhance their knowledge. Even though it is difficult to include everybody in these programmes, officers are being given both local and foreign trainings. “We apprehend perpetrators involved in illegal trading, poaching and many wildlife crimes. We research on human-wildlife conflict, gather statistics to analyse the situation. The DWC has taken concerted efforts to train and familiarise officers on latest technologies to engage in their service,” explained Dissanayake. 

A difficult job

But the Daily Mirror learned that around 56% of officers have stepped down from duty. Dissanayake said that besides remuneration, being a wildlife ranger is a difficult job. “It is certainly not a desk job. The job of a wildlife ranger is most suitable for someone who has a passion to explore new terrain and for someone who has a passion for adventure. We are understaffed and there are less officials. Once they arrive on duty they realise that there aren’t many facilities or luxuries. It isn’t merely a government job. As at now, there are less than 10 officers in each wildlife range office. An officer has to remain in office for around 21 days. In most instances these offices are located inside forest areas, protected areas and sometimes there’s no electricity and proper phone connectivity for instance. They have leave for around 6-7 days. Their salary scale is the same as that of a management assistant in a provincial council. But a wildlife ranger doesn’t have similar facilities as a management assistant serving in an office. But the positive aspect of this job is that I have had access to many places that other people usually cannot have. I have intervened to rescue many abandoned baby elephants, leopards and other wild animals. It is very rewarding to engage in such endeavors,” he added. 

Proposed improvements 

In addition to increasing the cadre of law enforcement officers within the Department, wildlife rangers also propose upgrading infrastructure in field offices. They observe that the provision of 4WD vehicles, modern firearms, wildlife tracking systems, cyber infrastructure and ground facilities such as standard living quarters would inspire individuals to remain in the profession. Dissanayake said that science-based formal education should also be imparted to officer trainings. “For example, officers trained in mega fauna conservation, wildlife behaviour and human dimensions should ideally be deployed to resolve the HEC. Welfare facilities, medical insurance and financial support in case of long-term injury would further ensure job security among wildlife rangers in the long run,” he said. He also appreciated the support extended by DWC Director General M. G. C. Sooriyabandara and Director Operations Ranjan Marasinghe.