Prince William raises Illegal Wildlife Trade issue in China

The Duke of Cambridge made a passionate appeal against the illegal wildlife trade on the final day of his visit to China.

Speaking at a regional wildlife and conservation conference in Mengman, Xishuangbanna County, Yunnan Province, on Wednesday (March 4), the Duke condemned the illegal trade which he says threatens “the extinction of an entire species.”

William, who is passionate about wildlife conservation and who is patron of the Tusk Trust charity and president of the organisation United for Wildlife, said he hopes China and the United Kingdom can work together to try and fight poaching and illegal trafficking of animal products.

The Prince also commended the country for its conservation efforts so far but said more needed to be done. Ivory products are popular amongst affluent Chinese, as they are viewed as a status symbol. Demand has been growing in recent years, which has had a devastating effect on elephant populations across Africa, who are being slaughtered there by poachers. During his three day visit to China, William has tried to raise awareness of the issue. He also paid a visit to an elephant sanctuary in the Wild Elephant Valley in Yunnan Province in southwest China, where he met one of four rescued elephants, who was raised back to health after being injured by a trap which has left a big scar on his hind leg.

(Ventuno)