‘Humanitarian’ Prince Harry appointed to African Parks board of directors for his conservation work

The Duke of Sussex has been appointed to the board of African Parks for his work on conservation projects across the continent.

Prince Harry, 39, became chairman of the organization in 2017, after traveling with the team to Malawi the year before to take on an elephant conservation project.

During his time as president, the Duke of Sussex has overseen other conservation programs to protect national parks and wildlife in countries across Africa and has been praised by the organization’s CEO for his “dedication and commitment” to the cause.

In August 2022, he hosted a group of US officials, conservationists and philanthropists on a tour of Zambia, Mozambique and Rwanda, where the group visited wildlife and nature reserves.

After six years as president, the Duke now sits on the organisation’s board of directors, the governing body of African Parks.

The organization announced Harry’s new position in a statement on its website, describing him as “a humanitarian, military veteran, mental health advocate and environmentalist.”

The Duke of Sussex has a long history of conservation work in national parks and wildlife parks across Africa, and has carried out much of this work through African parks.

In 2021, shortly after the death of his grandfather Prince Philip, the Duke paid tribute to the late royal family in an Earth Day video promoting his projects with African Parks.

In the clip he said: ‘As we now move into an era of global recovery and regeneration, it is crucial that we continue to look at strengthening and protecting biodiversity, not just as a value we cherish, but as a way to enhance and protect biodiversity. to live.

Prince Harry, 39, began working with the organization on an elephant translocation project in Malawi in 2016

“On this Earth Day, I reflect on generations of conservation champions, including my late grandfather, and feel proud and energized to continue contributing to this legacy.

“This year especially, I join the African Parks team and communities around the world in a shared commitment to our environment and collective well-being.”

Hope Starts Here was re-released with Harry’s story to mark the annual Climate Change Awareness Day.

The royal family has been working with African Parks since 2016, when he visited Malawi to assist with the translocation of 500 elephants in Malawi. Peter Fearnhead, CEO of African Parks, praised his “dedication and commitment”.

Last year, African Parks came under fire after three people were trampled by elephants during a major translocation operation in Malawi.

African Parks and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) partnered with Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) in July to relocate more than 260 elephants from Liwonde National Park to Kasungu.

The massive operation saw elephants carefully lifted by cranes into transport vehicles and transported around the country in impressive scenes filmed for promotional material and described at the time as reminiscent of the Disney film Dumbo.

But a village association chairman representing residents living near Kasungu National Park has criticized both African Parks and IFAW, which he accused of “caring more about animals than people” after two villagers in July and a third in September were trampled.

Malidadi Langa claimed in comments regarding this The guard that the NGOs had not finished installing fencing at the new site, which rushed the operation and allowed the elephants to escape from the park.

The DNPW, meanwhile, said all three victims – Collins Chisi, 40, Joseph Blackson, 29, and John Kayedzeka, 30 – got too close to the animals while trying to take photos, causing them to attack.