Bhutan’s forest rangers, dressed in green uniforms, gathered at the Royal Institute of Management to commemorate World Ranger Day 2025. The event, observed globally on July 31, recognizes rangers who protect the world’s natural and cultural heritage, honoring fallen colleagues and reflecting on their vital role in conservation. IRF commemorates the death of 174 rangers from 40 countries between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025. Bhutan, with over half its land area under environmental protection, has officially observed the day since 2017. Despite not recording any ranger fatalities this year, the nation joins a global remembrance of their sacrifices. Bhutan’s Divisional Forest Office has honored Shivalal Sanyasi, a late ranger who died in the line of duty on July 16, 2021.
The ceremony, titled “Rangers: Powering Transformative Conservation,” reflected the evolving roles of rangers, who now enforce laws, engage with communities, and monitor ecosystems. The ceremony also celebrated new milestones and achievements in conservation, with the Forest Monitoring and Information Division, Forest Resources Planning and Management Division, and Jigme Khesar Strict Nature Reserve being declared the best ranger teams for 2024-2025. Bhutan has certified two tiger sites under the Conservation Assured | Tiger Standards framework, launched key publications, strategies, and plans for golden langur and red pandas.