This is a chance to commemorate those rangers who have died or been injured in their fight to preserve the world's heritage, particularly its wildlife. And it's also an opportunity for us all to show support for those wildlife rangers who are fighting (literally) for our wildlife, to keep them safe and protect them.
With that in mind, here are three organisations who work to support wildlife rangers. Please visit their websites and find out more about the work rangers do. We'll be adding to them, so please come back and visit this page :-)
David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation The DSWF currently has an appeal to help support the rangers' work removing traps and snares. Snares trap the animals; they are usually wires which trap the animals, and as they struggle to get free, the wires tighten around the animals, causing injury and eventually an agonising death. The DSWF supports ranger patrols in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda. In the past, rangers used to find a great many of these snares but now they are finding just one or two a day - even these are too many, but at least these areas are safer for wildlife. Click here to find out more and donate.
World Land Trust The World Land Trust has launched a £750,000 appeal called Keepers of the Wild. The rangers employed through this programme work on the front line to protect many endangered species and the habitats in which they live. Without them reserves are at risk from illegal activity such as poaching and logging. Rangers are a crucial link to local communities, raising awareness of conservation issues. You can support this programme and help ensure it continues by donating here.
Born Free Foundation Born Free is involved in protecting Wildlife in Kafue National Park, Zambia with Game Rangers International, which gives key support to the Zambia Wildlife Authority and their Kafue Conservation Project. Born Free's support enables a dedicated number of patrols to be undertaken by the elite ZAWA Special Anti-Poaching Units to enhance wildlife protection in the face of encroachment into protected areas and illegal activities such as charcoal production and illegal timber harvesting. Visit the Born Free Foundation here