Findings of a regional study conducted by WWF to mark the World Ranger Day, reveal that one in seven wildlife rangers-14 per cent-across Asia including Pakistan and Central Africa have been seriously injured during their duties over the past 12 months.
The study is part of the largest ever survey conducted on the wildlife and forest rangers' working conditions and welfare standards. It also indicates that over 100 official rangers reported causalities from July 2017 July 2018 from Asia and Africa. These figures were provided by the International Ranger Federation (IRF) & Thin Green Line Foundation (TGLF), the WWF-Pakistan said on Tuesday.
In Pakistan, the first ever ranger perception survey was conducted by WWF-Pakistan in collaboration with provincial wildlife departments focusing on the field staff of selected 29 protected areas across the country. The survey revealed that the majority of rangers worked with limited resources, without proper equipment and trainings, complementing findings of the overall regional scale study. It also identified that over five rangers lost their lives while foiling attempts of wildlife and forest poaching or during the course of their duties during 2017. The recent brutal killing of two Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department officers while on duty and attempting to intercept the illegal poaching of migratory birds was an eye opener for the wildlife protection authorities.
Hammad Naqi Khan, DG WWF-Pakistan said, "We should stand with our rangers as they are our unsung conservation heroes, most of which face death-defying conditions during the course of their duties." He also informed that rangers in Pakistan deal with a host of threats including armed poachers, forest loggers and wildlife traffickers. He further said that previously Pakistan lacked actual statistics on ranger's causalities and injuries incurred during duties with associated causes. This data is critical for informed conservation policy-making. "The regional study," he added will be instrumental in filling this knowledge gap." He also called for concrete efforts on this matter and emphasized the need to do better in training and equipping rangers so that they have a greater chance of dealing with untoward situations and report such incidences to relevant authorities.
The regional range perception study, which will be published later this year, focuses on rangers working in Asia and Central Africa. WWF is also currently conducting the survey in East Africa. These regions are known as the two most dangerous areas for wildlife and forest rangers due to high poaching and hunting pressures on iconic and endangered wildlife species for their demand in the illegal wildlife trade markets.
Dr Babar Khan, Wildlife Practice Lead and Regional Head Sindh and Balochistan, WWF-Pakistan said that the Ranger Perception Survey is a stepping stone towards recognising the challenging and dangerous nature of the job of wildlife and forest rangers. He added that rangers work tirelessly to protect endangered and iconic wildlife species and their habitats, most of which are in demand in the illegal wildlife trade in the international market. Wildlife protection is increasingly becoming dangerous in which wildlife officials face armed poachers and wildlife traffickers involved in this lucrative crime. The untiring efforts of these people are perhaps the main reason that the country still hosts majestic landscapes and iconic biodiversity, some of which is unique to Pakistan. WWF salutes these heroes.