Prince William, 42, has shared his hopes for his three children to “live in a world where incredible wildlife exists” amid growing environmental concerns.
Speaking at the Tusk wildlife awards ceremony, the Prince of Wales expressed his vision for the future generations.
“I want my children to live in a world where swallows still migrate, gorillas still live in the cloud forests of Uganda and rhinos still roam the arid rangelands of Namibia,” he said.
The father of Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, warned that “our planet continues to face terrifying environmental concerns from climate change and habitat destruction.”
Prince William, 42, has shared his hopes for his three children to “live in a world where incredible wildlife exists”.
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He highlighted alarming statistics, noting that “rainforests the size of countries are disappearing” and “one million species are at risk of extinction mostly due to human activity.”
The Prince of Wales delivered his remarks at the Tusk Awards ceremony on Wednesday evening, where he presented three awards.
William, who has served as patron of the conservation charity since 2013, helped establish the Tusk Awards to recognise conservation leaders and wildlife rangers across Africa.The royal emphasised the importance of collaborative efforts in environmental protection.
“It is only through a collaborative approach, under the guidance of indigenous and local communities, that we can foster lasting and meaningful change,” he told attendees.
The Prince of Wales delivered his remarks at the Tusk Awards ceremony on Wednesday evening, where he presented three awards
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The ceremony brought together environmental leaders, with William meeting celebrity ambassadors including Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood.
“Now is the time to support those globally that work to prevent future generations from becoming disconnected from nature,” the Prince added.
During his speech, William paid tribute to rangers who have lost their lives protecting wildlife, particularly remembering Anton Mzimba.
Mzimba, described as an “incorruptible” park ranger in South Africa, was tragically gunned down by poachers in 2022 in front of his family after two decades of protecting wildlife.
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Prince William launched a live insurance programme to benefit thousands of rangers across Africa, earlier this month in Cape Town
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“Anton was assassinated in his home for doing his job protecting the incredible biodiversity of his country,” William said.
The Prince noted that globally, 1,400 rangers have been killed in the past decade protecting wildlife.
“The sobering Roll of Honour that we saw earlier recognises the Rangers who lost their lives and serves as a reminder of the ultimate price paid by too many on the frontline of conservation,” he added.
Earlier this month in Cape Town, William launched a live insurance programme to benefit thousands of rangers across Africa.