Prince William, who has been a champion of animal and environmental rights for quite some time now is finally putting pen to paper in a powerful essay for his new book The Last Elephants. The essay, which appears in a book celebrating the lives of elephants and detailing the threats they face, is an impassioned call to action for humans to save the species from extinction.

In the forward, which will grace the opening pages of his passion project, William writes about how the birth of his daughter made him even more passionate about preserving the planet, and the other animals who share it with us. He writes:

“I’m not prepared to be part of a generation that lets these iconic species disappear and have to explain to our children why we lost this battle when we had the tools to win it,” writes William, explaining how when he was born in 1982, there were close a million elephants living in Africa. By comparison, by the time his daughter was born in 2015, their numbers had dwindled to a mere 350,000. The Prince warns the species may very well be “gone from the wild” by the time his Charlotte turns 25.

“This crisis is not just about animals – it’s also about people,” he goes on to say. “It is some of the world’s poorest who will suffer when their natural resources are stripped from them illegally and brutally. It is families in the world’s most vulnerable regions who suffer when two rangers a week are killed on the frontline of this fight… It is fragile democratic systems in many nations that are at risk from the source of war, violence and corruption that the illegal wildlife trade funds and fuels.”

For all the caution, William points to “encouraging signs” in the battle for Conservation, including the banning of Ivory in large countries like the United States and China.

The book, along with his powerful new essay, is hardly the first time the prince has championed the conservationist’s cause.  In 2018, William flew to Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya in an aircraft emblazoned with the hashtag #EndWildlifeCrime. During his trip, the prince met with the leaders  of Conservation programs such as for United for Wildlife and Tusk Trust, which helps to conserve the proud pachyderms for generations to come.

In order for Conservation efforts to succeed, it is critical to get people to listen, and there are few voices on earth more resounding than the future King of England. While William does his best to create change with the influence he has already, he doesn’t write these books for his own enjoyment. His words are meant as a wake up call to the public. It is up to us to heed his call to action.

Interested in Animal rights? Check out Animal Rights Groups Call on Government to Shut Down Country’s Cruelest Primate Testing Lab.

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