Panama adds 36 new park rangers to protect natural areas

Panama has significantly strengthened its environmental protection efforts with the graduation and deployment of 36 new park rangers. These 30 men and six women, forming the sixteenth graduating class, will now serve in protected areas across Coclé, Colón, Chiriquí, Herrera, Los Santos, and Panamá Oeste provinces.

Their core duties will involve safeguarding ecosystems, managing natural resources sustainably, and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. The Ministry of Environment (MiAmbiente) highlighted this initiative as a key part of enhancing the human resources dedicated to preserving the nation's natural heritage.

The specialized training these rangers received covered ecosystem and biodiversity conservation, protected area management, environmental control and surveillance, and essential survival and navigation techniques, including GPS and compass use. This comprehensive program was a collaborative effort between MiAmbiente, the National Institute for Professional Training and Human Development (Inadeh), and the Environmental, Rural, and Tourism Police Service.

MiAmbiente noted a substantial increase in park ranger numbers during the current administration, growing from 140 to over 530. This expansion, with more than 350 new rangers graduated across fifteen previous cohorts, enhances the country's capacity to combat threats like deforestation, illegal hunting and fishing, pollution, and other environmental violations. Continuous training programs, including specialized courses in boat handling, environmental protection, and diving, are also maintained through the National System of Protected Areas (Sinap).