
Contribute to the Century Ahead >
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.
Rangers
Rangers have completed training and are employed by Virunga.
Female Rangers
Female Rangers have completed training and are employed by Virunga.
Fallen Rangers
Rangers have lost their lives in the line of duty since 1925.
Aerial Surveillance
Kilometers of aerial surveillance conducted in the Park in 2024.
Routine Patrols
In 2024, the Rangers conducted 3,652 patrols, covering 19,121 km on foot.
Virunga’s Rangers work to protect the Park’s rich wildlife, even in the face of ongoing conflict.
Access to the mountain gorilla sector has been
limited to Rangers since 2021, but community
trackers still monitor and report threats. In
other park areas, Rangers collaborate to remove
snares and protect wildlife.
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.
Elephants are among Virunga’s most gentle creatures, yet they suffer greatly from the illegal ivory trade.
Protecting them depends on increasing the number of well-trained Rangers and equipping them to fight poaching.
Virunga National Park has partnered with several organizations to protect elephant herds from poaching and reduce human-wildlife conflict.
In 2015, experts from Save the Elephants and
Gorilla Doctors began fitting elephants in Lulimbi
with satellite tracking collars, providing Rangers
with real-time data to monitor herd movements.
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 been used to help locate lost children in the communities that surround the Park.
Virunga’s team of spaniels specializes 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.