World Ranger Day

July 31 of every year is the day we pay tribute to park rangers around the world. Park rangers serve as law enforcement officers, environmentalists, cultural historians, and sometimes all three of these roles. Regardless of their primary role, all rangers are the first line of defense in protecting wildlife, natural resources, and ecosystems within the national-, state-, and local parks, while ensuring the safety of park visitors. Rangers live, work, and sometimes literally die while risking their lives to protect wildlife habitats from poachers and other human threats like wildfires caused by careless behavior.