PRINCE WILLIAM MARKS TUSK’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY
11 January 2010
At a reception held in St James’s London in January, Tusk’s Royal Patron was joined by some of the charity’s long term supporters who braved the freezing conditions to mark Tusk’s 20 years of conservation in Africa.
Balancing environmental conservation with the growing needs of society is at the heart of the “great challenge facing mankind”, Prince William said echoing the beliefs of his father The Prince of Wales, who for many years has argued that mankind should live in harmony with the natural world.
Charlie Mayhew, Tusk’s CEO, said that whilst huge strides have been made in tems of community driven conservation, the picture in terms of poaching now threatens many of the wildlife gains achieved since 1990.
‘Elephant losses have increased three and half times in the last two years and the poacher’s price for rhino horn has leapt more than 600% from $400 per kilo in 2007 to $2,600 per kilo today! It is not surprising that that the Continent is now experiencing a surge in poaching and it explains why South Africa, a country, which in the past has remained largely immune to major poaching, lost over 100 rhino last year! Three times the losses of the year before.’
Since it’s inception twenty years ago Tusk has invested over £12 million into over a 100 widlife conservation, community development and environmental education projects across the continent. It currently directly supports 40 in 17 countries.
Prince William said: “We must all help, help to ensure that, for the communities Tusk serves in Africa, and for the awe-inspiring wildlife with which they co-exist, that the next 20 years are ever more life-enhancing and secure. Future generations must have the chance to wonder at the Continent’s spell-binding natural heritage for themselves. We owe it to them. This legacy is not ours to squander. And in this cause, Tusk is a great champion.”
www.tusk.org
At a reception held at St James’s London this January, Tusk’s Royal Patron was joined by some of the charity’s long term supporters who braved the freezing conditions to mark Tusk’s 20 years of conservation in Africa.
Balancing environmental conservation with the growing needs of society is at the heart of the “great challenge facing mankind”, Prince William said echoing the beliefs of his father The Prince of Wales, who for many years has argued that mankind should live in harmony with the natural world.
Charlie Mayhew, Tusk’s CEO, said that whilst huge strides have been made in tems of community driven conservation, the picture in terms of poaching now threatens many of the wildlife gains achieved since 1990.
‘Elephant losses have increased three and half times in the last two years and the poacher’s price for rhino horn has leapt more than 600% from $400 per kilo in 2007 to $2,600 per kilo today! It is not surprising that that the Continent is now experiencing a surge in poaching and it explains why South Africa, a country, which in the past has remained largely immune to major poaching, lost over 100 rhino last year! Three times the losses of the year before.’
Since it’s inception twenty years ago Tusk has invested over £12 million into over a 100 widlife conservation, community development and environmental education projects across the continent. It currently directly supports 40 in 17 countries.
Prince William said: “We must all help, help to ensure that, for the communities Tusk serves in Africa, and for the awe-inspiring wildlife with which they co-exist, that the next 20 years are ever more life-enhancing and secure. Future generations must have the chance to wonder at the Continent’s spell-binding natural heritage for themselves. We owe it to them. This legacy is not ours to squander. And in this cause, Tusk is a great champion.”
