World Ranger Day 2024 - Support Rhino Rangers

World Ranger Day is celebrated annually around the globe. A time to stand together in unity and pay our respects to those brave men and women who dedicate themselves to the protection of wildlife and wild places. This World Ranger Day, 31st July 2024, was particularly special and poignant for the team at Care for Wild as we humbly acknowledged a decade of unwavering commitment, sacrifice and unprecedented dedication.

10 Years without incursions, 3646 days, 87,504 hours
of round the clock protection. 

Every second, every hour, every day and every night, Care for Wild’s rangers leave foot prints on the earth as they walk beside rhinos on a journey to save a species from extinction. With every step, they reclaim the land for rhinos and for wildlife.

Forever guided in faith. Through trust and love, God will guide us.

We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to each and every one of you. Thank you for your support, your trust, and your belief in us. Thank you for your sponsorship, your donations, your heartfelt messages and your love. Thank you for standing beside us every day.

It is our great privilege to share some photos from our celebrations and to explain some of Care for Wild's longstanding traditions around World Ranger Day. 

The Torch

The torch is lit at the beginning of the march every year, honouring fallen rangers around the world and symbolising the passion and fight of all rangers. Each year, a new date plaque is added. During the march, the torch is passed from the older rangers to the newest rangers, before finally coming to stand at the centre of the World Ranger Day parade ground.

the flags: The Care for Wild flag, the Anti-Poaching Unit flag, and the South African flag are always carried during the Ranger Day march by the Mounted Unit. It is truly something to see them carry these flags with such pride.

The March

The Ranger Day march follows the lighting of the torch, which marks the beginning of the Ranger Day celebrations. The march symbolises the many thousanads of footprints our rangers have left on the ground as they patrol the protected area, keeping the rhinos and wildlife safe. It serves as a reminder that with every step, rangers reclaim the land for rhinos and wildlife.

A small unit of rangers begins the march and carries the torch to a checkpoint where they meet a second unit. The torch is handed over with heartfelt and personal messages from one ranger to another. This continues until the entire anti-poaching unit is walking together. It's an absolutely spectacular sight, and the atmosphere is electric!

Once all the units are present, the march becomes much faster and singing and dancing begin! 

The Parade

After the march, the units assemble in the parade area, ready for the formal Ranger Day ceremony. Petronel and Chris lead the ceremony, with the rangers reflecting on the challenges and achievements of the past year.

Five and ten-year service awards are given, along with special recognition awards for rangers who have excelled in their duties. The awards are nominated by the rangers themselves, creating a wonderful atmosphere of camaraderie and support.

This year, in recognition of the 10-year anniversary, every ranger received a commemorative medal. Even the horses and dogs were given special rosettes and a delicious treat, our partners, our trusted allies and our comrades in arms. 

The Pledge

The ceremony culminated with the reading and signing of Care for Wild's: 'A Ranger's Pledge to the Rhino.' The is read every year and every year, the rangers place their signatures on the document in recognition of their duty, their commitment and their promise. 

Honouring out Heros

As a special thank you to our rangers, this year we were joined by Klitsgras Drumming, who helped awaken the rhythm of Africa at Care for Wild! By the river and later around the fire, our rangers joined in a drumming workshop that focused not just on music, but also on breathing, mental focus, discipline, and their own heartbeat. So much positive energy, so many smiles, so much life. 

This World Ranger Day was incredibly special—a time for the Care for Wild Family to come together, reflect on the past ten years, and acknowledge the challenges, sacrifices, effort, dedication, and many blessings we've experienced.

Thank you for being part of this and for enabling such a special day.