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The Virunga Rangers

About The Virunga Rangers

Virunga’s Rangers stand fearlessly on the frontline of conservation for the protection of the Park’s wildlife, natural resources, and for the surrounding communities. They routinely face harsh physical conditions, injury, or even death. Over 200 Rangers have been killed in the line of duty. Without the commitment of these brave men and women, Virunga would not exist.

Park Protection

Virunga currently has over 689 male and female Rangers actively serving to protect the Park and the local communities.

These Rangers go through intense selection processes and extensive training to work for the Park. They are all selected from local Congolese towns and villages and qualify to become civil servants within the Congolese National Park Authority (ICCN).

The Rangers serve in the Park’s four sectors (north, central, south and lake sector), often in extremely difficult circumstances. Virunga’s Rangers face threats from many fronts and risk their lives daily. Over 200 Rangers have been killed whilst serving the Park.

Photo credit: Virunga National Park
Christian is head of the Virunga National Park Canine Unit, which helps to track poachers and contraband such as weapons.
Christian is head of the Virunga National Park Canine Unit, which helps to track poachers and contraband such as weapons.

As a ranger my job is to protect Virunga National Park, not only for the people of Congo, but for the entire world.

Ranger Christian Shamavu Head of Congohounds Unit
  • Photo credit: Adam Kiefer
  • Photo credit: Adam Kiefer
  • Photo credit: Adam Kiefer
  • Photo credit: Adam Kiefer
  • Photo credit: Adam Kiefer
  • Photo credit: Adam Kiefer
Ranger Force Statistics

  • Rangers

    689

    Rangers have completed training and are employed by Virunga

  • Female Rangers

    27

    Female Rangers have completed training and are employed by Virunga

  • Fallen Rangers

    200

    Rangers have lost their lives in the line of duty since 1925

  • Aerial Patrols

    3500

    Hours of aerial surveillance conducted in the Park in 2016

  • Routine Patrols

    10000

    Routine patrols covered a surface of 3,500 square km per month. Every year, foot patrols cover a distance larger than the circumference of the Earth.

  • Ranger Training
  • Wildlife Protection
  • Elephant Protection
  • Canine Units
  • Virunga rangers training
    Ranger Training

    Each ranger attends 6 months of basic training. Specialisation courses then follow.

    The Ranger training curriculum includes tactical combat skills, civil and criminal codes, humanitarian protection, and advanced first-aid.

    Photo credit: Brent Stirton
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  • Virunga Rangers doing an obstacle course
    Ranger Training

    Typically, only 50% of Ranger candidates make it through to graduation–many of whom had already earned advanced degrees prior to joining the Ranger corps.

    Thanks to the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and other generous organizations around the world, Virunga’s Rangers are getting the training and support they need to continue to effectively secure the Park and it’s resources.

    Photo credit: Brent Stirton
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  • Monitoring mountain gorillas in Virunga
    Gorilla and Wildlife Protection

    One of the roles of Virunga’s Rangers is to protect the Park’s diverse wildlife, including its population of critically endangered mountain gorillas.

    This includes locating and removing wildlife snares, which poachers set indiscriminately around the forest. These snares kill and maim a wide array of wildlife. Sadly, because of the sheer size of the Park, only a small percentage of these animals are fortunate enough to be rescued by Virunga’s Rangers.

    Photo credit: Brent Stirton
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  • Monitoring gorillas at Virunga National Park
    Gorilla and Wildlife Protection

    Virunga’s population of mountain gorillas has been growing from strength to strength in recent years, thanks to the protection afforded by the Park’s Rangers.

    Our news page has regular updates on the Park’s wild gorillas, click here to read more.

    Photo credit: Brent Stirton
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  • Elephant at Virunga National Park
    Elephant Protection

    Elephants are one of Virunga’s most sentient and gentle residents. Like elsewhere in Africa, the illegal ivory trade is exacting a heavy and brutal toll.

    It is tragic when these magnificent creatures are killed by poachers. One of the only hopes to save Virunga’s elephants is to increase the number of highly trained Rangers in the Park and provide them with the tools they need to combat poaching.

    Photo credit: Brent Stirton
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  • Elephants in the water
    Elephant Protection

    Virunga National Park has teamed up with a number of organizations to improve its ability to protect elephant herds from poachers and prevent conflicts with the local population.

    In 2015, world-renowned veterinarian Pete Morkel, Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Frank Pope, and Jerenimo Lepirei of Save the Elephants, and Gorilla Doctors Mike Cranfield and Eddy Kambale flew to Lulimbi to begin the process of affixing high-tech tracking collars to Virunga’s elephants. These multifunction collars communicate via satellite to provide Rangers with real-time information about the movement of collared elephants, and often by extension, their entire herd.

    Photo credit: Brent Stirton
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  • Ranger walking canine
    Canine Units

    Virunga National Park’s Congohounds unit is comprised of Bloodhound “human-trailers” and Spaniel “sniffer” dogs.

    The Bloodhounds are used primarily for tracking poachers, but also play a key role in finding injured Rangers.
    They have even been used to help locate lost children in the communities that surround the Park.

    Photo credit: Brent Stirton
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  • Rangers Walking
    Canine Units

    Virunga’s team of Spaniels specialize in detecting non-human scents, such as smuggled ivory and ammunition.

    Most often they search for contraband hidden in vehicles or being sold in local markets, however, they can be used to sniff out contraband almost anywhere their skilled Ranger handlers direct them.

    Photo credit: Virunga National Park
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Applying Technology

Having a technological edge over militias and poachers is critical for the protection of Virunga’s two-million acres.

Virunga National Park is constantly leveraging advancements in geographic information systems (GIS) and satellite communications to protect the Park.

These technologies play a key role in verifying and defending Park boundaries from encroachment. They are also used to develop three-dimensional threat maps that plot wildlife movement, known militia and poacher camps, and available Ranger patrols. This technology enables Rangers to focus their efforts where needed most and in the safest manner possible.

  • Photo credit: Brent Stirton
  • Photo credit: Brent Stirton
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