How have the jobs of rangers evolved?

Traditionally, the role of a ranger was heavily militarised. Rangers carried rounds of ammunition and weaponry within protected areas to safeguard wild animals. They displayed an imposing presence, ready to make surprise raids on poachers. The job required manual skillsets, and one did not necessarily need higher levels of education or expertise in wildlife crime management.

As environmental threats such as climate change, human wildlife conflict, and habitat loss grew, rangers were also tasked to support the translocation of wildlife, facilitate rescue operations, respond to distress calls to help injured animals, and use technologies like GPS devices, drones, intelligence, and forensic analysis tools. Perceptions of community–ranger relations are also changing. Rangers today have a better interface with communities using dialogue, persuasion, and positive appeal.

Over time, human-induced threats facing wildlife have evolved. Poaching has expanded from a subsistence scale to a commercial endeavor, with illegal syndicates embracing sophisticated modern machinery, weapons, night vision binoculars, and species monitoring tools. These criminals have moved their operations to the digital space and become technical in terms of evading law enforcement networks. Poachers understand wildlife laws and know how to exploit legal and regulatory framework loopholes in their respective jurisdictions.

Consequently, wildlife crime cases often slip through the cracks due to weak enforcement systems or insufficient evidence because of poor scene of crime management by wildlife officers. When rangers, who are often the first responders after a wildlife crime incident, lack a clear understanding of court procedures, how to testify in court as a first responder, and basic crime scene management skills, judicial institutions are unable to adequately and expeditiously prosecute and convict cases.