NEW: Wildlife rangers need community support

Online Reporter 

RANGERS need to be provided with adequate resources from the corporate world and communities they serve for them to be able to discharge their duties safely and effectively.

In a message to commemorate World Ranger Day on Wednesday, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said rangers put their lives on the line every day.

“World Ranger Day provides a moment for everyone involved in conservation to pause and commemorate the men and women who died or were injured while looking after the world’s most treasured nature,” he said.

Ecologist at Save Valley Conservancy for Anti-Poaching and Tracking Specialists, Mr Moses Mutemeri, said without adequate resources, rangers’ jobs can be difficult and dangerous.

“This job does not come without challenges and the biggest of them all is living far away from family and all the risks associated with co-existing with wild animals,” he said.