On the Ground in Ujung Kulon: Dadih

A lifetime of dedication: Park Ranger Dadih shares stories on almost two decades of work for the Park.

Dadih, 44, and father of four, has spent 17 years working for the Park. He spends 2 weeks per month on duty, and during that time he is required to fish and cook for himself and the other rangers that are posted on Peucang island, a guardpost on the north-west side of the Park. 

Day in the life
A typical day involves morning and evening patrols to intercept poachers and ships, species monitoring (e.g. primates), and from Friday to Sunday he has to take visitors around the Park. Once a year, all rangers are also involved in a 'combing' operation across the park for a rhino census, and coral reef monitoring on a separate occasion.

At the end of each month, Dadih prepares a report which is sent to the Park headquarters, detailing his activities. All in all, this would seem to have all the ingredients of a quiet life. But the reality is not always that rosy.

Vagaries of a ranger's work
One of Dadih's most memorable moments is being stranded on one of the Park’s islands for a month and a half, when the boat that was supposed to bring him back to the mainland broke down. Finally, he had to hitch a ride with a fishing boat that was heading back his way.

But this incident is simply a symptom of more fundamental issues regarding the funding of National Parks.

In effect, guards claim that their salary is not enough to cover family expenses. Because there are discrepancies in the amount of money paid for different duties – for example, Rhino Monitoring and Patrol Unit staff are better paid – acrimony also often arises. And since rangers are assigned positions, it is difficult for them to relocate when they are unhappy with their situation.

Yet the fact that Dadih is still a ranger after all these years suggests that perhaps, things are not that bad after all.