World Ranger Day(WRD) is annually observed across the globe on 31 July to commemorate Rangers killed or injured in the line of duty and to celebrate the critical work of Rangers in protecting the world’s natural and cultural treasures.
- 2025 marks the 18th WRD
Theme:
2025 Theme: “Rangers, Powering Transformative Conservation”.
- It aligns with the global goal of the upcoming International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress (WCC), which will take place in later 2025 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates(UAE).
Focus: This year’s theme highlights the vital role rangers play in driving transformative conservation efforts, aiming to protect 30% of the planet by 2030 through a combination of traditional wisdom and modern technology.
Exam Hints:
- Event: World Ranger Day 2025
- Date: 31 July (annually)
- Edition: 18th
- Theme: Rangers, Powering Transformative Conservation
- First Observation:31 July 2007
- 11th IRF World Ranger Congress: Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, 2025
About World Ranger Day:
Origin: WRD is an initiative of the International Ranger Federation (IRF), promoted together with Thin Green Foundation(TGLF), the United Kingdom(UK), the 1st charity solely dedicated to supporting rangers and their families.
First Observation:The 1st WRD was observed on 31 July 2007 on the 15th anniversary of the founding of IRF.
Tribute to Fallen Rangers: It was celebrated to honour 8 rangers who lost their lives while on duty in the Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo(DRC)
Why July 31?
Significance: The date 31 July was chosen because of the establishment date of the IRF in 1992.
Formation of IRF:IRF was established as a result of an agreement signed between the Countryside Management Association (CMA), the Scottish Countryside Rangers Association (SCRA), and the United States of America(USA) Association of National Park Rangers(ANPR).
Role and Identity of Rangers:
Diverse Workforce: Rangers include a wide range of protected area workers such as state-employed personnel, Indigenous peoples, community and voluntary guardians, and staff managing privately protected areas.
Various Titles: They are commonly referred to as park rangers, field rangers, forest rangers, or park wardens, depending on their roles and regions.
Key Responsibilities: Their duties span across protection, conservation, monitoring, visitor services, fire management, law enforcement, education, community support, and regulating sustainable resource use.
Essential to Global Conservation Goals: Rangers are key to delivering global targets for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the GBF -Target 3 for protecting 30% of the planet by 2030.
- They help to create lasting, positive change for nature.
WRD 2025 Roll of Honour:
Annual Tribute: The TGLF 2025 World Ranger Day Roll of Honour recognises Ranger Deaths in the line of duty from June 2024 to May 2025.
Global Loss:The 2025 Roll of Honour commemorates 175 rangers from 41 countries, with death in service (28%) and occupational accidents (21%) being the leading causes.
Regional Impact: 49% of these deaths occurred in Asia (87 deaths) followed by 38% in Africa (67 deaths).
Rising Fatalities:The number of ranger deaths in 2025 is higher than 140 in 2024
India’s Toll:Out of the 87 deaths in Asia, 36 deaths occurred in India, caused by incidents involving tigers, elephants, buffalo, bears, accidental pesticide poisoning, drowning, etc.
About IRF World Ranger Congress :
Global Gathering:The IRF World Ranger Congress is a triennial global gathering organized by the International Ranger Federation (IRF), bringing together ranger professionals from around the world to learn new skills, form partnerships, and address shared conservation challenges.
Event: The 11th IRF World Ranger Congress is scheduled to be held in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina.
- The 10th WRC took place in Hyères, France from 7–11 October 2024.
About International Ranger Awards:
Establishment:The International Ranger Awards, established by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), in collaboration with the International Ranger Federation (IRF).
Objective:The award aims to recognize and celebrate the exceptional contributions of rangers worldwide in protecting our planet’s natural heritage.
2025 Awards: 2025 Awardees will be announced during the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress .Winners will receive awards ranging from USD 25,000 to USD 10,000 to support the protected and conserved areas where they work.
About International Ranger Federation (IRF):
President- Chris Galliers
Established – 1992
