Park Ranger in Paraguay
Credit: Artículo originalmente publicado en El Otro País de Paraguay / Photo Credit: Analia López
“When I was a girl, I could see the Ybycuí National Park hill from my house,” recalls Rosita Benítez, the park’s first female chief park ranger. As a child, she was intrigued by her neighbors’ green uniforms. Today, she proudly welcomes visitors, wearing that same uniform.
She volunteered for 10 years, although she was unable to patrol due to Ministry regulations. “So, I trained and graduated in Environmental Sciences, but the opportunity didn’t come. For a moment, I felt sad,” she confesses.
That opportunity came in 2015, when a competition opened to become a park ranger. “I felt that if I failed, I would be taking the opportunity away from many women who would come after,” she says. Despite the doubts some had about her abilities, she managed to establish herself in her role. “I had to research the patrol routes and join them secretly. I fought hard to win this space.”
In 2018, she took over as head of Ybycuí National Park, with just five park rangers to guard more than 5,000 hectares. “There were people who told me I wouldn’t last a month,” she recalls, but with the support of her superiors, she stood firm. Inspired by her son, she promoted the Park Guardians program, where children ages 4 to 10 learn about the environment.