The 31st July is World Rangers Day. In 2025, the theme is "Rangers, Powering Transformative Conservation." The aim is to reimagine the role of wildlife rangers, "not just as protectors of nature, but as partners in community-led conservation".

The day is a way to raise awareness of the incredible work rangers do, why they are critical to conservation, how dangerous the work they do can be, and how you and I can help.

There are wildlife rangers all over the world and an excellent example of how important they are came through the post from Fauna and Flora International just a couple of days ago. 

The example is in the eastern DRC (Democratic Republic of the Congo) in the Maiko National Park.

Let's start from the beginning.

In 1995, FFI says that there were about 17,000 eastern lowland gorillas roaming the forests there.   Tragically, up to 60% of these have died.  Scientists estimate that close to 7,000 are alive today, found in under 20,000 square  kilometres.   Their population is decreasing, and it’s severely fragmented.

The death of every single gorilla is devastating to the species.  Lone males are especially at risk as they have to form new groups away from their families – and find females from other groups.  He has to compete with other males, too.  Some females may choose to follow him and form a new troop.

The problem is that because the forest is more fragmented, these lone males have to travel long distances, and the risk is that they will meet poachers near mining camps or be perceived as a threat to human settlements, and shot as a result. Well, male gorillas can be three times the size of a human.  You imagine coming face to face with one!  The panic humans may feel can result in the gorilla charging.  Retaliatory killings reduce the numbers further and teams of rangers are important in teaching local communities how to respond and behave when faced with a gorilla.   Rangers need to work with local communities. 

The teams keeping the gorillas need essential supplies – wildlife rangers can’t protect gorillas without them.   They need vehicles, with fuel to run them and maintenance.  They need rations, and patrol equipment, communication and navigation equipment and training.  They need boots, waterproofs, a torch and a rucksack.

The thing is, by donating, you're not just protecting the gorgeous eastern lowland gorilla.  You’d also be safeguarding infrastructure that gives a lifestyle to species such as the Opaki (about 10,000 to 15,000 left), the Eastern Chimpanzee (about 181,000 to 256,000 left), the beautiful African Forest Elephant  (roughly 150,000 left) and the Congo Peafowl – there are only about 2,500 to 10,000 left of these.)

• £21.00 would help provide the field equipment a ranger needs to go out on patrol and look for signs of illegal activity.  Boots, waterproofs, a torch and rucksack are all vital parts of this equipment.

• £283 would help to build a radio tower in Maiko National Park.  This would enable rangers to communicate whilst they are out on patrol – and report any instances of poaching they find.  And £46 would help power this tower for a month.

• £780 would help build a ranger station – and this would give the rangers a base to launch their patrols into gorilla territory.
  

Fauna and Flora International are asking people to donate to help them build a network of new ranger stations, right in the heart of the forest.  

Please, donate today. Give a lifeline to eastern lowland gorillas and protect a biodiversity hotspot well!

The stunning photo at the top of this page is by Gurth Bramall