Two rangers who were badly injured in a serious vehicle accident while on duty in Mozambique earlier this month faced different outcomes: While one was enrolled in an insurance scheme that covers medical treatment and evacuation for rangers injured in the field, the other was not and faced far more limited options for his ongoing care and recovery.Increasingly, rangers are being called upon to operate in environments shaped by organized crime, armed conflict, and geopolitical instability, with climate change and climate-related disasters adding another layer of complexity.“Advocating for rangers’ work and highlighting the resources they lack matter more than ever, because the job role itself is evolving,” writes Louise de Bruin, CEO of the Game Rangers Association of Africa.This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.
It is always a tragedy when a ranger is injured in the line of duty. Sadly, it is a story we have come to know all too well: brave men and women head into the field each day, and on occasion, whether at the hands of armed groups, dangerous wildlife, or environmental emergencies, it goes horribly wrong.
What is perhaps less considered, and something I have seen the effects of firsthand, is that not all rangers have access to the same levels of support if something does go haywire.
