Today is World Ranger Day.
In honour of the thin green line protecting our natural world, our Ambassador Sam Laurence would like to pass on a message.
Within the Game Rangers Association of Africa, there have been fewer that 1900 members admitted in 50 years. And this does not include the thousands of others that step up to the line in order to protect our natural resources throughout the world. As a member, I would like to say this. We are a community, a brotherhood and sisterhood. We do not honour ourselves but we honour each other. And we honour the plants, the animals, the earth and the soil that fall under our care. The role of a ranger is part soldier, part conservationist, part wildlife manager and part educator. But all of us are bound by our love of the natural world and our responsibility to protect it. There is a portion of the Ranger Creed that we as part of the GRAA must adhere to.
“As an executor of the natural estate the game ranger may not diminish its assets nor be party to their depletion. There are terms to this duty which are known, and there are those still to be learnt. Within these limits only may the Ranger move”.
This resonates so strongly with me as it implies that not only must we leave the earth in a better state in which we find it, but we must never stop learning and we must never stop teaching.
I am proud to be a Ranger and I wish all of you in these incredibly difficult times, to reach out to the UBUNTU WILDLIFE TRUST to offer your support to a ranger program. Everything possible is at stake.
And to my brothers and sisters, I say thank you.
Happy World Ranger Day.