The International Ranger Awards are intended to honour the courage, resilience, and perseverance of rangers across the world; displaying their achievements, raising public awareness about the importance of such professionals, and providing winners with funds to support the land they help protect.  

This year, the WCPA – in collaboration with Conservation Allies, Universal Ranger Support Alliance, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature – has extended awards to six individuals and seven teams with prizes between $5,000 and $25,000. The recipients hail from 13 different countries around the globe, including Ukraine, Burkina Faso, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.   

"The 2025 International Ranger Awards shine a spotlight on the courage, dedication, and tireless commitment of rangers around the world. These individuals and teams are the guardians of our planet’s most precious ecosystems. From nurturing endangered species, to protecting fragile landscapes amid threats and hardship, their work inspires and reminds us that protecting nature is a shared mission and collective responsibility,” Dr Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General, said.  “IUCN stands with all the world’s rangers. We celebrate their extraordinary achievements and reaffirm our collective commitment to support and empower rangers who are on the frontlines of safeguarding our natural heritage for generations to come."  

From scientific research and community outreach to anti-poaching patrols and endangered species protection, this diverse group of rangers have demonstrated their extraordinary commitment to value and conserve nature.  

 The winners of the 2025 IUCN-WCPA International Ranger Awards are:  

• Rodrigue Katembo Mugaruka, Deputy Park Manager, Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo - awarded for bravely protecting DRC land from corruption and exploitation.
• Tuzlovski Lymany National Nature Park Ranger Team, Ukraine (seven members) - awarded for courageously preserving Ukraine’s estuaries and wildlife amid conflict.
• Al Shouf Cedars Nature Reserve Ranger Team, Lebanon (10 members) – awarded for safeguarding Lebanon’s forests and empowering local communities.
• Union-Palm Island Environmental Alliance Rangers Team, St Vincent and the Grenadines (seven members) – awarded for tirelessly sustaining conservation efforts despite natural disaster.
• Lazizbek Khasanov, Head of the Department for Monitoring the Use of Resources, Ugam-Chatkal State National Park, Uzbekistan – awarded for vigilantly preventing logging and poaching as a young ranger.
• Benjamin Yworega Bassono, Anti-Poaching Coordinator, Pô-Nazinga-Sissili Protected Areas Complex, Burkina Faso - awarded for skillfully leading large anti-poaching and habitat restoration initiatives.
• Benson Kanyembo, Law Enforcement Advisor, South Luangwa, Zambia - awarded for persistently safeguarding Zambian wildlife and training scouts for three decades.
• Jampel Lhendup, Forest Ranger, Royal Manas National Park, Bhutan - awarded for recovering endangered species and transforming poachers into conservationists.
• Kiunga Marine National Reserve Ranger Team, Kenya (six members) - awarded for successfully conserving coral reefs, mangroves, and marine life across islands.
• Allée des Baobabs Protection and Management Team, Madagascar (10 members) - awarded for fearlessly protecting Madagascar’s forests from fire and human pressures. 
• Safarbi Davlatova, Forest Protection Inspector, Dashtijum Nature Reserve, Tajikistan - awarded for advancing gender equality and conserving critically endangered species.  
• Saidvaa National Park and southern Parvar Protected Area Ranger Team, Iran (nine members) - awarded for determinedly overcoming social and ecological challenges to advance conservation.
• Punta Patiño Private Natural Reserve Ranger Team, Panamá (seven members) -awarded for steadfastly protecting 30,000 hectares of rainforest, mangroves, and coastline.  

 In the last 15 years, more than 1,500 rangers have been killed on duty. Many of the award recipients operate in dangerous conditions, putting their lives at risk to protect and conserve wildlife and nature.   

The work of the 2025 International Ranger Award recipients is essential for meeting the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework, especially Target three – to conserve 30% of land, waters, and seas by 2030. Alongside biodiversity conservation, the awardees give back to their local communities through education, advocacy, and socioeconomic development, helping prove that when nature thrives, so do humans.  

The winners assembled in Abu Dhabi at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress to receive their awards and be celebrated by the global conservation community, scientists, policymakers, and Heads of State at a ceremony on the evening of 11th October.   

The Award has been also generously sponsored by: Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GmbH), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).  

Full details of the winners and their work can be found and photos, can be found here.