The following article was posted this morning on Inside NPS, an information portal for National Park Service employees:

Today, July 31st, is World Ranger Day, a day set aside for paying tribute to the work that rangers perform around the world to protect the last vestiges of the earth’s natural and cultural heritage.

World Ranger Day is an event that was conceived and advanced by the International Ranger Federation (IRF), a consortium of about 60 national and state ranger associations from countries around the world – from Korea to Scotland, from Argentina to Iceland, from South Africa to Romania. The association from the United States representing NPS rangers is the Association of National Park Rangers.

IRF was founded 22 years ago to support the work of rangers as the key protectors of parks and conservation areas throughout the world. Since then, it has been actively involved in training, communicating with, and supporting rangers worldwide.

At the 2006 IRF World Ranger Congress in Scotland, delegates decided that July 31st of each year, beginning in 2007, would be a day dedicated to rangers all around the globe. World Ranger Day is held on the anniversary of the founding of IRF in 1992.

World Ranger Day is also a day to remember the many rangers who have been injured or killed in the line of duty, particularly during the previous year. Since last July, more than 80 rangers, game rangers, forest guards, wardens and maintenance workers have lost their lives in the line of duty, and it’s likely that the actual number is considerably larger.

This year’s roll of honor, which includes all those rangers and professional staff who died in the line of duty, follows. The list includes only the names of those deaths reported directly or indirectly to the International Ranger Federation. In some cases, only last names are known.

• Alfredo Almueda, Philippines – Homicide
• Angel Kobusheshe, Uganda – Homicide
• Dr Anthony King, Kenya – Accident
• Ashutosh Gautam, India – Homicide
• Atamato Madrandele, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – Homicide
• Badusi Mugaotinikoni, DRC – Homicide
• Benoit Karvante, DRC – Homicide
• Benson Bwambale, Uganda – Homicide
• Bhagchand, India – Homicide
• Brahim Khamis, Chad – Homicide
• Bruno Chevugi, Paraguay – Homicide
• C.Sashi, India – Animal
• D. Padmini, India – Animal
• Dabbanna Gullappa, India – Animal
• Daoud Aldjouma, Chad – Homicide
• Dewani Ram, India – Animal
• Djibrine Adoum Goudja, Chad – Homicide
• Dmitry Vladimirovich, Kazakhstan – Homicide
• Dobryansky Vasily Yuryevich, Kazakhstan – Homicide
• Dorcas Rumbagi, Tanzania – Homicide
• Edwin Sibuyi, South Africa – Accident
• Emmanuel Bemazaki, Uganda – Accident
• Ernesto Aparicio Esteve, Spain – Fire
• Esdras Nsengiyumva, Rwanda – Homicide
• Fiston Madawa, DRC – Homicide
• Fredrick Galimoto, Malawi – Animal
• Gheesu Ram Singh, India – Animal
• Guesh Ahmed, Ethiopia
• Hassan Djibrine, Chad – Homicide
• Hillary Lotyang, Uganda – Accident
• Haydee Valdivieso y Navarette, Philippines – Homicide
• Humphrey Ekwenye, Kenya – Animal
• Idriss Adoum, Chad – Homicide
• Irene Tusiime, Uganda – Animal
• Jairo Mora Sandoval, Costa Rica – Homicide
• Jessie Comendador, Philippines – Homicide
• Justin Knackstedt, Canada – Accident
• Kalisto Abolungimoe, Uganda – Accident
• Kalyangiri Adhikari, India – Animal
• Kamango Tambwe, DRC – Homicide
• Kanta Prasad, India – Homicide
• Kwadwo Wireko, Ghana – Homicide
• Madhusudan Patil, India – Homicide
• Mahadev Siddi, India – Homicide
• Mat Sarcino, Philippines – Homicide
• Mathew Oyoo Odongo, Uganda – Homicide
• Md Rafiqul Islam, Bangladesh – Homicide
• Merab Arevadze, Georgia – Homicide
• Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh – Accident
• Mulalo Nemakhavhani, South Africa – Homicide
• Octave Kibela, DRC – Homicide
• Oscar Magbanua, Philippines – Homicide
• Oscar Miguel Cruz Ramirez, Costa Rica – Accident
• Paluku Matembela, DRC – Homicide
• Panayot Evstafeyvich Zaharopulo, Kazakhstan – Homicide
• Ratan Kumar Dey, India – Homicide
• Rogelio Miang, Philippines – Homicide
• Rolando Intas, Philippines – Homicide
• Sayar Singh, India – Homicide
• Shagin Ivan Alekseevich, Kazakhstan – Homicide
• Stany Ezoa Aderedbho, DRC – Homicide
• Suresh Rai, Nepal – Homicide
• Taweesak Chomyong, Thailand – Homicide
• Tavus Momberg, South Africa – Animal
• Tran Thanh Tung, Vietnam – Accident
• Turishchev Dmitry Petrovitch, Kazakhstan – Homicide
• Vitaly Fedorovich Sinyakov. Kazakhstan – Homicide
• Wilner Pelos Colorita, Philippines – Homicide
• Zakaria Ibrahim, Chad – Homicide
• Zakhele Mphofu, Swaziland – Homicide

And:

• Seven unnamed rangers, Nigeria – Homicide
• Two unnamed rangers, Kenya – Homicide
• One unnamed ranger, DRC – Homicide
• One unnamed forest guard, India – Accident

For more information on World Ranger Day, the International Ranger Federation and the Thin Green Line Foundation, click here.