Happy World Female Ranger Week! This week, June 23-30 (and every week), we’re celebrating the brave women who tirelessly protect endangered wildlife and the forests they call home.
To help celebrate, we caught up with Dhina, a female ranger in the Wildlife Protection Unit. Dhina works closely with communities in the Bukit Tigapuluh (BTP) Ecosystem, helping to prevent human-wildlife conflict. Forests in BTP are some of the last wild homes for Sumatran elephants, tigers, orangutans, and many other precious wildlife species.
Dhina’s work goes far beyond wildlife protection though. She’s also helping empower women and support stronger, more resilient communities.
“To become a ranger is a rare opportunity for a woman like me,” says Dhina.
Dhina’s courage and determination is inspiring to women everywhere. She’s proving that women can thrive in the field, and their presence brings strength, compassion and valuable new perspectives.
A Day in the Life of an Elephant Ranger
One of Dhina’s favorite parts of the job is getting to see wild elephants–and connect with the people who live near them.
“I get to witness the elephants in the wild and interact with the locals and witness their life stories as well.”
A typical day for Dhina begins with her morning ritual, waking up to the sound of leaf monkeys outside her window. While sipping coffee and enjoying breakfast, she chats with her team about their fieldwork plans for the day.
“I often spend my day at a farmer's hut with fellow rangers. One of the best parts of my job is that, on the surface, it might seem like we’re just hanging out and having small talks with the locals, but in reality, it’s an exchange of valuable information.
We connect with the community, sharing knowledge about elephants while learning from them too. And, of course, there’s the thrill of watching elephants in the wild, it never gets old!”
At the end of the day, Dhina and her team gather to debrief, share what they’ve learned, and plan for the next day. Dhina loves this time with her team. She enjoys hearing about what others have accomplished, while exchanging ideas to keep improving their work.
Dhina and her team sighting wild elephants while out in the field.
Working as a Woman in the Field
Dhina’s job doesn't come without its challenges, especially as a woman in the field.
“Because typically fieldwork is male-dominated, I have encountered various reactions from people of my mere presence in the field. Most of the people would discourage or undermine my decision to take this job. It comes in so many forms like, “you won’t last here”, “it’s going to be very hard on you”, “why bother if you will be a housewife later?”.
It can also be a straight disregard, like totally ignoring my presence and input. Discouragement like that can be shrugged off, but sometimes it can get inside your head.”
Dhina feels incredibly lucky though, to work with a team that supports and values her. They respect her work, share knowledge, and encourage her to grow and contribute. She is proud that her team listens to and welcomes her input.
“Having a supportive and inclusive workplace in conservation should not be a privilege, but a norm. It’s not only beneficial to a woman, like me. A safe space will benefit everyone and eventually help us to create better work for conservation.
It’s great to work with people that actually see you as a person that wants to learn and can be taught, instead of focusing on the difference that most of the time is insubstantial.”
Dhina talking with locals who live alongside forests and wild elephants.
Women in Conservation
Dhina believes women are essential to wildlife conservation. They bring unique skills and strengths, and help build trust with local communities.
“As a woman myself, I have a different approach to connecting with families and communities compared to my male colleagues, which helps build trust and encourages local support for conservation.”
She’s proud to be a role model–especially for young girls who see what’s possible through her work. Dhina says being a ranger has changed her life. It’s not always easy, but it’s incredibly rewarding.
“To become a ranger will give you hands-on learning experience like no other. Adventure is something we should embrace in our youth, shoot the shot!”
Dhina and her team trekking through the forests–all in a day's work!
Thank You for Supporting Dhina
With your help, Dhina is paving the way for women in conservation, while protecting elephants, other wildlife, and their wild forest homes. She is a powerful voice for wildlife, a role model for young girls, and a shining example of how women can make a world of difference.
This World Female Ranger Week, we honour Dhina and all the incredible women working to protect wildlife, nature, and wild places.
Thank you for standing with them 💚
Program name: Wildlife Protection Unit
Location: Bukit Tigapuluh (BTP), Sumatra, Indonesia
Program Partner: This program is a collaboration with our FZS partners, and the Ministry of Forestry 🌳