The Duke of Cambridge has
shared a heartbreaking, personal message calling for more support to be
provided to wildlife rangers following the death of Anton Mzimba, a ranger killed in South Africa last week.
Taking to Twitter, William
penned: “The devastating news about Anton, who exemplified courage and
commitment, illustrates the threat rangers face daily. And it reminds us of
the human cost as Anton’s family mourns the loss of a husband and a father.
“A ranger’s job is
crucial, but can be dangerous as they are regularly confronted by organized
crime.
“Last Sunday marked World
Ranger Day. While we remember Anton, it is vital that we provide the right
support, generated through organizations like Tusk or our work with United for
Wildlife, so that incidents like this don’t happen again.”
William, who is
president of United for Wildlife and royal patron of Tusk, signed the
message ‘W’.
The thread on Twitter revealed
that Anton was “potentially assassinated in his home and his wife severely
injured”. The news of his death came as Tusk launched its Wildlife Ranger
Challenge, a multi-million-dollar fundraising initiative to support rangers
across Africa.
The thread also highlighted
the wide-ranging skills that rangers have. “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,” one post read.
Another tweet revealed how
more than 1,000 rangers have been killed in the past ten years.
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William is president of United for Wildlife and patron of Tusk
Last week, William issued
a heartfelt message as he learned of Anton’s death. He tweeted: “I’m
deeply saddened to learn of the killing of Anton Mzimba who I spoke to in
November. 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. W.”
Anton worked at the Timbavati
Private Game Reserve near Kruger National Park in northeast South Africa.
