Ranger Perceptions: Asia

RFA

RANGERS

2016

ASIA

RANGER PERCEPTIONS

CONTENTS SURVEY RATIONAL

04

METHODS 05 RESULTS 06

For more information please contact: Rohit Singh rsingh@wwfnet.org

Prepared by WWF Tigers Alive Initiative and the Ranger Federation of Asia Published in February, 2016 by WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature. Any reproduction in full or in part must mention the title and credit the above-mentioned publisher as the copyright owner. © Text 2016 WWF All rights reserved Front cover: © Rohit Singh/WWF

- Figure 1: Context

06

- Figure 2: Threat

08

- Figure 3: Family

10

- Figure 4: Working Conditions

12

- Figure 5: Enabling Conditions

14

- Figure 6: Mentality

16

- Figure 7: Future

18

RECOMMENDATIONS & DISCUSSION

20

SURVEY RATIONAL The poor and hazardous working conditions of wildlife rangers1 are well known to anyone working in the field and are now appearing more frequently in the media.

Yet little has been done to systemically study and report on ranger working conditions; nor has there been an attempt to better understand how rangers feel about their work, their major concerns, challenges, rewards, as well as overall job satisfaction.

This Ranger Perceptions: Asia survey is the first in a series of reports that aim to shed light on these matters. The intent of this survey is to provide a snapshot of ranger working conditions, and gain insight into the factors that affect the motivation of rangers.

Two follow-up in-depth reports are planned; one on objective working condition indicators (pay, hours worked, access to equipment, etc.) and a second (more detailed) ranger perception survey incorporating in-depth interviews. It is hoped that this large data set will then serve to influence and improve government policy towards rangers and their working conditions.

The word “ranger” or “rangers” is used throughout this report as a general term to collectively refer to all frontline staff. It is inclusive of wildlife wardens, forest guards, foresters, rangers, scouts, watchers and other frontline field staff.

1

© Rohit Singh/WWF

METHODS A ten question survey (see list of questions and complete results below) was undertaken to gain insight on issues that may influence ranger motivation. The survey incorporates elements of work rangers find most discouraging and ranks factors identified as important to a ranger’s day-to-day work, such as facilities, equipment, training, infrastructure, hours worked, and pay. Other data collected looks at broader issues such as degree of authority, and perception by (or threats from) local communities.

A total of 530 rangers in 11 tiger range countries were surveyed; participants included individuals from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Viet Nam. The majority of data inputs were gathered through personal interviews conducted by surveyors within each country, with 10% of data submitted through online survey forms. Each surveyor was briefed on the survey guidelines prior to conducting interviews to ensure that data was collected in a uniform and error-free manner. © Rohit Singh/WWF Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 4

The survey is a rapid assessment, and as such the findings should not be viewed as representative for any individual country, nor should they be extrapolated to the Asia region as a whole. The survey does not include armed forces posted on deputation in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 5

FIGURE 1: CONTEXT

= 1 response

40 35

0%

YEARS SERVED

530

TOTAL RESPONSES

45

100%

30 25 20

Most rangers had served less than 20 years.

A significant proportion were middle-aged.

15 10

36%

34%

SOUTH ASIA

5

30%

SOUTHEAST ASIA

0

CHINA

28%

20

25

30

4%

4%

3%

2.3%

0.4%

PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT 64%

BD

BT

NP

TH

ID

LA

VN

KH

1.7%

MM

50

Higher percentages of older rangers had permanent employment.

100%

CN

IN = India; BD = Bangladesh; BT = Bhutan; NP = Nepal; TH= Thailand; ID = Indonesia; LA = Laos; VN = Vietnam; KH = Cambodia; MM = Myanmar; CN = China

88%

80%

100%

95%

40%

49% 47%

40%

20%

0%

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 6

43%

100% 100% 100%

66%

60%

63%

57%

Most rangers surveyed were men.

65

82% 81%

70%

03%

60

Higher percentages of experienced rangers had permanent employment.

80%

80% 80%

60%

97%

55

A majority of the rangers surveyed were permanently employed.

TEMPORARY 36%

100% IN

45

30%

A significant number were from India, Thailand and China.

5%

3.6%

40

AGE

Rangers surveyed came from across Asia, roughly a third from each sub-region.

18%

35

59%

49%

20%

0%

20

25

30

35

40

45

AGE

50

55

60

65

0%

1

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

YEARS SERVED Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 7

FIGURE 2: THREAT

100%

90%

Have you faced a life threatening situation?

63% RESPONDED 100%

80%

Have you been threatened by community members or other people because of this work?

90%

THREATENED

BY POACHERS

80% 70%

THREATENED

BY COMMUNITY 70%

60%

50%

60%

50%

ATTACKED

BY POACHERS

40%

15%

21%

29%

40%

NO

57%

43%

YES

30%

30%

20%

20%

DANGEROUS ENCOUNTER WITH WILDLIFE

10%

35%

0% 10%

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 8

0%

37%

NO RESPONSE NOT APPLICABLE

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 9

FIGURE 3: FAMILY

How many days a month do you get to see your family?

50%

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 10

45%

31%

11%

13%

<5 DAYS

5-10 DAYS

10-15 DAYS

15-20 DAYS Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 11

FIGURE 4: WORKING CONDITIONS

Have working conditions become better or worse?

100%

90%

SINCE BECOMING A RANGER

65% 56%

80%

70%

60%

50%

OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS

40%

30%

20%

10%

8% 6%

21% 17% Since becoming a ranger - 9% responded non-applicable Over the last 3 years - 17% responded non-applicable

0%

BETTER SAME WORSE Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 12

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 13

FIGURE 5: ENABLING CONDITIONS

Do you feel you are provided with proper equipment and amenities to ensure safety?

Do you feel you are adequately trained to do your job?

1% Not sure

NO Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 14

25% 74%

YES

NO

48%

52%

YES Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 15

0% 100% 10% 90% 20% 80%

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 16

30% 70% 40% 60% 50% 50% 60% 40% 70% 30% 80% 20% 90% 10%

4%

100% 0%%001

10% %09 %08 20% %07 30% %06 40% %05 50% %04 60%

LOW AND/OR IRREGULAR PAY

10% 11%

FREQUENT TRANSFER

8%

DANGEROUS WORKING CONDITIONS

6% 7% 7%

POOR FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE

What is your motivation for continuing as a ranger?

RARELY SEE MY FAMILY

POOR TREATMENT BY PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT

LITTLE OR NO RECOGNITION AS A PROFESSIONAL

LITTLE OR NO REWARD FOR HARD WORK

1%

BORING WORK

5% 4%

INADEQUATE LEAVE

I LIKE THE POWER AND AUTHORITY

6% 5%

I LIKE TO IMPLEMENT THE LAW

13% 11% 10%

I BELIEVE IT IS AN EXCITING JOB

I AM A RESPECTED MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY

I HAVE GOOD PROMOTION PROSPECTS

20%

I AM LIVING MY DREAM

26%

I HAVE NO OTHER JOB OPTION

I ENJOY BEING CLOSE TO NATURE

I ENJOY BEING A RANGER

FIGURE 6: MENTALITY

What is the worst aspect of being a ranger?

16%

%03 70%

30%

80% %02 90% %01 100% %0

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 17

FIGURE 7: FUTURE

Do you want your children to become rangers?

NO

100% 90% 80% 70%

40% 30%

0%

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 18

100%

7%

THERE IS NO JOB SECURITY

9%

90%

THERE IS NO REWARD FOR HARD WORK

12%

80%

THERE IS NO POTENTIAL FOR PROMOTION

12%

70%

THEY WOULD HAVE TO STAY APART FROM THEIR FAMILY

13%

THE FACILITIES ARE POOR

13%

IT IS A DANGEROUS JOB

15%

20% 10%

YES

52%

THE PAY IS IRREGULAR

60% 50%

48%

IT HAS A LOW SALARY

19%

60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

3%

IT IS EASY TO GET A RANGER JOB

7%

TO HAVE POWER AND AUTHORITY

11%

THERE IS GOOD JOB SECURITY

18%

I AM PROUD TO BE A RANGER

20% 20%

21%

100% 90% 80% 70% 60%

I WANT MY CHILDREN TO SERVE THEIR COUNTRY

50% 40%

TO PROTECT WILDLIFE AND BIODIVERSITY

30% 20%

I WANT MY CHILDREN TO SERVE NATURE

10% 0%

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 19

RECOMMENDATIONS Based on the results of the survey, the following priority recommendations are forwarded to those responsible for staffing, planning and delivering ranger work. In the vast majority of cases this will fall to one or more government agency or department; most frequently this will be Environment, Forestry, Natural Resources, or Finance.

ii) Improve ranger access to critical equipment: Although many non-governmental organizations have been trying to fill this gap, there still remains a considerable shortfall in the provision of health supplies, transport vehicles, weapons, boots, shelter and potable water required to keep rangers safe and ensure their effectiveness.

Countries themselves will need to allocate greater budgets for such items in the vast majority of landscapes where rangers work.

Recommendation 1: Make targeted interventions to improve basic employment conditions for rangers With low salary and irregular pay frequently topping the list of worst aspects of ranger work, one of the greatest challenges is to improve basic labour indicators throughout this sector. Additionally lack of contractual security, job relocation, and limited time spend with loved ones also speak to the need to ensure predictability and work-life balance are introduced into this sector.

iii) Increase ranger numbers: Although not addressed directly by the survey, it is also important here to call upon decision makers to increase the overall number of rangers in the field, especially where they currently fall below the 3 rangers/100 km² benchmark. Such action vastly reduces the mortal danger faced by rangers on patrol, who are more easily overwhelmed by superior numbers and weaponry of poachers when operating in low densities.

By acknowledging wildlife poaching as a serious priority, in that it, i) degrades or irrevocably destroys valuable biological resources and ecosystems, ii) renders ineffective the millions of dollars governments invest annually in conservation spending, iii) weakens the local perception of rule of law, and iv) allows foreign criminal syndicates to violate the territorial integrity of the state, it is suggested that rangers need to be treated similar to other valued civil servants who risk their physical wellbeing to protect the interests of the state. This would include police, border officials, fire fighters, military, emergency response specialists, and other similarly situated public employees.

Rangers should be professionalized to the same extent as others performing comparable functions.

It is worth noting here that in the past two years the poaching issue has received an elevated status on the international stage, be it through high-level meetings in the UK and Botswana (and shortly Viet Nam), national-level executive orders, or powerful statements from countries delivered through intergovernmental forums such as the United Nations General Assembly and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Unfortunately, a huge gulf still exists between the discourse at this level and the actual material support being provided to the only agents who can combat poaching groups. If this inconsistent approach persists, the ideals and elements of a ramped-up anti-poaching collaboration currently being discussed at the international level will be largely squandered.

Recommendation 2: Ensure equipment levels, and training are adequate to improve ranger effectiveness

Recommendation 3: Conduct further studies to improve ranger welfare, job satisfaction and motivation, and help facilitate attempts by other organizations to do the same

With roughly one half of rangers indicating that they do not feel adequately trained to do their job, and roughly threefourths believing they do not have the proper material support to stay safe in the field, there is clearly a pressing need to rectify these shortcomings. With many rangers having lost their lives in Asia while on duty over the past several years this problem needs to be approached with the gravity and humanitarian concern it deserves.

Additional surveys that go into greater detail will have the potential to provide a more complete picture of the challenges and conditions that impact rangers and their effectiveness. In particular, there is urgent need to conduct a detailed survey on the objective indicators of employment conditions of those rangers working in Asia. In addition to more comprehensive analysis, there is also a need to incorporate larger numbers of rangers.

As governments often have the final authority to approve such studies, they should do so, and without hesitation; viewing them as an opportunity to harvest more actionable information they themselves can benefit from. Additionally, governments should do what they can in order to enhance education and awareness of wildlife conservation issues and ranger welfare generally, given that these matters often do not garner the attention of the wider civil society.

As such this recommendation contains three subcomponents; i) Institutionalize capacity building programs for rangers: Based on the survey results there is a clear need to implement systemic changes that improve the quality and frequency of ranger training. The most efficient way to achieve this is through the establishment of specialized colleges and institutions that carry the mandate to develop and deliver best practice curriculum, as well as adapt to emerging threats. A few colleges exist in Africa, and it is suggested that Asian states implement a similar system as a means of better training field rangers prior to starting the job, and then at regular intervals thereafter.

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 20

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 21 Š Rohit Singh/WWF

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many institutions and individuals contributed to this survey. WWF Tigers Alive Initiative and the Ranger Federation of Asia would like to thank WWF Nepal, WWF Greater Mekong Program Office, WWF India, WWF China, WWF Indonesia, WWF Malaysia, WWF Bhutan, WCS Laos, WCS Cambodia, Karen Wildlife Conservation Initiative and Wildlife 1 Conservancy. The survey team is also grateful to Dr. Antony Lynam and Adam Oswell, as well as Diwakar Chapagain for coordinating the surveys in Southeast and South Asia respectively.

We are also highly indebted to the hundreds of frontline staff from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam who kindly contributed to this survey.

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 22

Ranger Perceptions: Asia page 23

Ranger Federation of Asia in Numbers RECYCLED

2013 Date the Ranger Federation of Asia was established

1700+

• RANGER PERCEPTIONS: ASIA

100%

The number of RFA members across Asia

14

RANGER FEDERATION OF ASIA

Number of countries where the RFA is working to improve ranger conditions

panda.org

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Number of other organizations the RFA works with on ranger issues

RANGERFEDERATIONASIA.ORG

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