PHOTO: SIYABONGA SESANT
The South African National Parks (SANParks) on Wednesday commemorated World Ranger Day in honour of their fallen heroes who’ve been killed while in the line of duty.
SANParks said the reported number of rangers killed worldwide stood at 140 in the past year, including 42 on the African continent and with two rangers killed in South Africa.
Observed in more than 37 countries annually on 31 July, the official event in South Africa was led by the Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, at the iconic Kruger National Park.
Other events were held nationwide across SANParks’ remaining five regions known as Arid, Cape, Frontier, Garden Route and Northern Region.
In the Frontier Region, which consists of Addo Elephant National Park, Camdeboo, Karoo and Mountain Zebra National Park, rangers put on an impressive drilling display and simulated a poaching incident, while Mountain Zebra National Park’s detection dog, Dash, and his handler put on a remarkable display of the K9 unit
Speaking at the Addo Elephant National Park on Wednesday, former ranger and park manager at Mountain Zebra National Park, Evans Mkansi, said the day also raises awareness of the difficulties rages encounter in their work.
He paid homage to the rangers who’ve lost their lives.
“Such things do happen, but what inspires those that remain, is that those brothers and sisters dedicated their lives to a point where they lost their lives protecting these natural assets,” he said.
“So that in itself propels everyone to say, 'let us honour their memory, let us honour their legacy [because] they wouldn't want us to let go because of the risk factors that come with this job, but to fight hard and protect it.”
Mkansi also said some of their successes in the last financial year include the seizure of seven rubber boats.
“We are talking about R250,000 apiece,” and, he added, “we haven't lost any animals due to poaching.”
“So that shows the success that we're bragging about today.”
