Women Forest Guards at KazirangaCEFR A2
3 Nov 2025
Adapted from Arpita Das Choudhury, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by muallim nur, Unsplash
More than 5,000 women now work as frontline forest personnel in India. Many of them serve as forest guards at Kaziranga National Park in Assam, a protected area of 430 square kilometres.
In August 2023 a group joined Kaziranga as “Van Durgas.” They trained at the 11th Assam Police Battalion. Training included combat, first response, fitness, weapons handling, shooting and night exercises. Their work mixes daily patrols and community activities. Patrols start at 5 a.m., and night patrols can continue until 10 p.m. During the monsoon they use inflatable boats to guide and rescue animals. In the July 2024 flood they helped guide animals through corridors and rescue stranded animals.
Difficult words
- patrol — To walk around to check or protect an area.
- protect — To keep safe from harm or danger.protecting
- nature — The physical world, including plants and animals.
- brave — Ready to face danger or pain.
- challenges — Difficult tasks or problems that require effort.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think it is important to protect nature?
- How do you believe training helps forest guards in their job?
- Can you think of other jobs that involve protecting nature?
Related articles
Turning Water Hyacinth into Biodegradable Sanitary Pads
Researcher Pooja Singh and colleagues used invasive water hyacinth to make eco-friendly sanitary pads. Their project won an Elsevier award in Pune and aims to reduce water and plastic pollution while supporting women in local communities.
Study warns of heavier rain and hotter nights in Tanzania
New research warns parts of Tanzania will see more extreme rainfall and rising temperatures. Experts say farmers, health and cities will be affected and call for stronger national policies, preparedness and community climate finance.
