The rhino horn trade has one more enemy. And it is quite famous. It is Prince William, who called the people involved in the illegal trade "extremely ignorant, selfish and completely wrong". These animals, along with elephants, are in danger of disappearing from the face of the earth shortly, as a hard Discovery Channel documentary recounts. Despite the actions of conservation programs, very few remain in nature
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
love war. The trade of rhino horns has one more enemy. And he is quite famous. He is the Prince William, who called the people involved in illegal trafficking “extremely ignorant, selfish and completely wrong". And he is right seeing that these animals, together with the elephants, are likely to shortly disappear from the face of the earth, as tells a tough Discovery Channel documentary.
Despite the actions of conservation programs, only very few specimens remain in the wild Western black rhinoindeed, according to the latest global update of threatened species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, this subspecies is now extinct. All the fault of the very high economic value attributed to his horn, which is worth more than gold due to the very strong demand from some countries, especially in Asia, where it is believed that it can have aphrodisiac and therapeutic properties.
When the BBC Breakfast correspondent asked the English prince what he thought of all those people who, although aware of the situation of rhinos, continue to hunt them illegally or to buy their horns, William replied: “I think they are extremely ignorant. I think they are selfish and don't know that what they are doing is totally and completely wrong. They make me angry “. Poaching has had a dramatic impact on rhino populations in the wild, continues the handsome prince, "if we don't do something, it will be a great loss for everyone".
When asked what he would like to say to those who hunt rhinos, William replied: “My message to them is simple: stop. Need educate people and make them understand that when buying rhino horn, or any product made of ivory, they should reflect on the fact that it belonged to an animal that was killed just for this decorative ornament you have on your fireplace, ”concludes William, confirming that the Royal Family is animal friendly. Or at least part of it, since Kate seems to be used to wearing furs.
But rhinos aren't the only animals at risk from ivory. Even the elephant is a victim of poaching and the illegal trade in precious material, as the documentary explains in detail "Ivory Wars“,“ Ivory Wars ”, made by Discovery ChannelIn partnership with with the BBC, On illegal poaching and the sale of ivory from African elephants.
Premiering on the Discovery Channel on Saturday 23 June, “Ivory Wars” arrives 23 years after CITES 'international ban on ivory trade (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), just to show that elephants are under siege again in Africa. These creatures intelligent and vulnerable they are being killed in increasing numbers for their ivory tusks, mainly destined for the Far East, especially China, where the demand is very high.
“With the killings of African elephants continuing at an alarming rate, the time has come bring the issue back to the fore and inform viewers about the plight of these magnificent animals, ”said Eileen O'Neill, President of the Discovery Group and TLC Networks. Fred O’Regan, president of the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) adds to the dose: “Now is the time to act! Last year it was the worst year on record. Elephant populations, particularly those in West and Central Africa, are being decimated to fill the insatiable demand for ivory in the East, especially China. We cannot afford to go back to the ivory wars of the 80s. African elephants will not survive this time".
And many fear that if China does not curb its huge ivory appetite, the long-term future of African elephants will be virtually non-existent. Just like that of the rhino E is not a problem only for animals killed because of their fangs or their horn: in six years, the ivory war has resulted in the death of 12 rangers and over 60 poachers in Kenya alone. But ivory is a big business that stops at nothing and the poaching continues.
Roberta Ragni
