Britain’s Duke of Cambridge has called for a halt to the killing of rhinos for their horns.
Prince William is very concerned about the future of the wild animals after experts warmed Africa is facing the worst poaching crisis in decades.
The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, where William proposed to Duchess Catherine in 2010, reported five slaughtered rhinos in a fortnight last month and says that the lucrative poaching trade poses a ”grave threat” to the already endangered species.
A St James’s Palace spokesman said: ”The duke is concerned that action must be taken now to stem the tide before it is too late and these magnificent creatures become lost to the wild forever.
”Species conservation is something the Duke feels passionate about. He has been keeping a close eye on the poaching crisis, particularly involving Africa’s rhinoceros and elephants, and is alarmed by the increase in the numbers being killed.”
The most recent spate of killings occurred at Lewa, a 62,000-acre sanctuary where the duke spent part of his gap year.
They reported the shootings of five black rhinos in December, and says thieves got away with two sets of horns.
A Lewa spokeswoman said: ”2012 was our blackest year. The severity and frequency of these attacks is a clear indication of the level of threat that Lewa’s rhinos face, the highest in history. The poacher is no longer a long gunman with a mask; the hefty price paid for African rhino horn has attracted international organised crime syndicates that are eager to cash in at the expense of an entire species.
”Poachers have become increasingly sophisticated, using the latest gadgets and intelligence to spot and kill rhinos.”
The WWF estimates that there are currently around 4,838 black rhinos, most of them in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya, compared to 70,000 50 years ago.