In the wake of the murder of South African park ranger Anton Mzimba, the Duke of Cambridge is encouraging the support of organizations so “incidents like this won’t happen again”
Prince William is highlighting a new support network for those on the frontline against the illegal poaching of elephants and rhinos follow a tragedy.
The Duke of Cambridge, 40, issued a plea to help rangers in the wake of the murder of a leading wildlife ranger in South Africa last week.
The Helping Rhinos organization announced last week that Anton Mzimba was shot and killed outside of his home on July 26. “This follows recent death threats and highlights the daily threat facing Rangers,” the organization wrote on Twitter.
The following day, conservation campaigner Prince William added his praise for Mzimba, who he had spoken with. “I’m deeply saddened to learn of the killing of Anton Mzimba who I spoke to in November,” William wrote. “Committed and brave, rangers like Anton are central to the conservation of Africa’s fantastic wildlife. Those responsible must swiftly be brought to justice. My thoughts are with his family.”
Last week, Anton Mzimba, a ranger in South Africa, was killed. pic.twitter.com/dSgXrUC7nd
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) August 5, 2022
Prince William reiterated how being a ranger “is dangerous work” in a post shared Friday on the official Twitter account he shares with his wife, Kate Middleton. “More than 1,000 rangers have been killed in the last ten years, and they need our support more than ever.”
“Rangers like Anton are on the frontline of conservation, protecting people as well as wildlife. Among many roles, they are teachers, carers and researchers, looking out for a natural world that can’t defend itself,” he continued.
Before signing the tweet with a “W” to show it was a personal message, he said the news of Mzimba’s death came on the day that a new drive was launched by one of William’s longest-running causes, Tusk, to help fund more rangers.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) August 5, 2022
“On the day the challenge was launched, we learnt that Anton was potentially assassinated in his home and his wife severely injured,” William added.
The Wildlife Ranger Challenge brings together more than 100 ranger teams from across Africa in this year’s multi-million fundraiser, which culminates in a half marathon on Sept. 17. The race will be accompanied by a series of mental and physical challenges, including a new mini-challenge for ranger teams with canine units, in which dogs and handlers will demonstrate their tracking skills, Tusk says.
Tusk is one of Prince William’s key charities, and he adopted it in 2005 early in his public life after graduating from the University of St. Andrews.
In the last two years, Tusk says, more than $13.5 million has been raised by the challenge to continue to back the rangers’ efforts throughout the continent.
Queen Elizabeth’s grandson is preparing for a busy fall leading up to his awards for innovative ideas, the Earthshot Prize, which takes place in Boston in early December.
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