Saudi Arabia on Wednesday celebrated World Ranger Day by highlighting rangers’ contributions to protecting nature and wildlife, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The World Ranger Day, which marks July 31st of each year, commemorates rangers who are killed or injured while on duty and celebrates the work of rangers to protect the world’s natural resources and cultural heritage.
Imam Turki Royal Reserve
On this occasion, the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority launched an awareness campaign to underscore rangers’ efforts and pivotal role in preserving nature, wildlife and historical landmarks at the Reserve.
Rangers at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve deploy daily patrols to perform protection, monitoring and controlling missions.
Moreover, they carefully monitor the natural habitats of wildlife and the state of the vegetation cover, in addition to preventing illegal activities, such as grazing, poaching and tree felling. They also help scientific research teams and those who conduct academic studies in the Reserve.
Enhancing Rangers Performance
The Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Nature Reserve Development Authority has trained over 100 rangers and staff, in more than 8,000 training hours, under the Kingdom’s largest program for environmental protection and monitoring. It also utilizes more than 40 drones, IoT, artificial intelligence software, and data science.
The Development Authority pays great attention to improving the performance of rangers by providing them with training through specialized courses in fields like environmental monitoring, first aid, natural crisis management methodologies, addressing emergencies and crises, and deploying technical means to protect the environment.
Preserving Wildlife
Imam Turki bin Abdullah Royal Reserve is the second largest reserve in Saudi Arabia, with an area of 91,500 square kilometers. It boasts a unique biodiversity. The Reserve features more than 179 species of plants, and 138 species of wildlife.
This rich biodiversity is a result of its varied topography, from towering mountains to deep valleys and wide plains. Hence, it provides diverse habitats for a wide range of species.
The Reserve also hosts several heritage landmarks and archeological sites that date back to various eras, including King Abdulaziz Palace in Lina, Quba Palace, the historic Lina market, and the Darb Zubaydah.
King Salman Royal Reserve
In celebration of the World Ranger Day, the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority held various activities to mark the event.
The Development Authority said that the celebration aims to honor rangers for their contributions to preserving the invaluable wildlife and national heritage.
Furthermore, it stressed the significance of the World Ranger Day which highlights rangers’ key role in protecting the environment through patrols and environmental awareness campaigns.
Their work also supports research, environmental surveys, and statistics reflect the condition of ecosystems within and around the reserves.
